A Different Kind of Victory
by EmeraldRomance
Summary: A 'what if' tale centered on Sarah choosing her dreams at the end of the movie.  But what exactly is the price for immortality, and what is a Goblin King to do when his bride doesn't remember her promise? Alternating S/J POVs.
1. Prologue

_**A Different Kind of Victory**_

_**A Labyrinth Fan Fiction**_

_**By, EmeraldRomance**_

Summary: When Sarah confronted the Goblin King after fighting her way through the Labyrinth, she was presented with a choice: accept him as her dream, or banish him from her life. Waking up the next day in the safety of her own home, Sarah thinks she achieved the same victory as the princess in the story, but what if her victory was of a different kind altogether? Now six years in the future, Sarah has long abandoned her fantasies of the Underground, completely unaware that she may not have been the winner after all, and that the real champion has only been biding his time…

Disclaimer: The Labyrinth and all its characters belong to the late and great Jim Henson, I am merely borrowing them for my own amusement and I make no profit from it. Any other resemblances are merely coincidental.

A/N: This is my first foray into Labyrinth fan fiction. While I realize my idea has likely already been covered before on this site, and probably in more capable hands, this is simply my take on one possible continuation of the story, and was essentially written for my enjoyment. I hope you like it too!

Prologue

The Way Forward is Sometimes the Way Back

The most frighteningly beautiful man stood before me, his once cruel but enchanting face was ashen and weary. In his glove-clad hand rested a shining crystal much like the one he had tried to offer me a little less than ten hours ago before I'd battled through his Labyrinth, and before I'd danced with him in one of my deepest, darkest fantasies. His very presence had haunted me through every turn of my trial, sometimes in fear, and sometimes in abject fascination. He was after all the Goblin King, a man I had safely admired within the confines of my childish imagination for years. But his reign over me was near its end. I had beaten his game, and he knew it.

"My kingdom is great," I spoke softly but clearly, forcing my feet to move closer to him, and keeping my head held high despite the rush of nerves warring within me.

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave," his silky voice promised. I felt my resolve falter, but the face of my baby brother stayed strong in my mind.

His haunting eyes bored straight into mine with a conflict of emotion. Somewhere, a part of my brain rallied to understand him while frantically seeking out the last line. "My kingdom is great…" My eyes flickered to the crystal suspended in his outstretched hand before connecting with his gaze once more.

The faintest hint of a smile appeared at the edges of his mouth. _"Love me…let me rule you…" _My pulse quickened as his final act of temptation played on repeat in my thoughts. My vision swam with the memory of our dance; of wild blonde hair streaked with blue and mismatched eyes shining only for me.

"_It isn't real, Sarah! Quickly, before all is lost!" _A small voice shouted frantically in my conscience.

"My kingdom is great," I repeated, steeling my spine despite the tremor of my voice, and trying desperately to ignore the stab of yearning swirling through my heart. His lips twitched and his eyes flickered hesitantly. It was impossible to concentrate. I noticed even the tiniest movements of his striking face, but I could not focus my thoughts to remember the final words.

Perhaps sensing my distraction, he moved the crystal even closer to my face. "All you ever dreamed of can be yours, Sarah."

Two figures danced gracefully within the crystal globe, one with wild blonde hair dressed in a sparkling blue coat, the other wearing a gown of shimmering silver with cascades of teased mahogany hair. A top her head sat a gleaming crown of gold. The image faded as the man bent his head to press his lips to hers.

I gasped. My trembling fingers stretched towards the shining sphere of their own volition.

Just as my skin slid over the cool surface of the crystal, a clock struck the first of what I knew would be thirteen chimes. In the distance, I could hear a baby crying, but all my eyes could see was the triumphant grin of the Goblin King.

*******

The smell of bacon frying coincided with rays of sunlight attacking my eyelids. With a small groan, I rolled over and buried my face into my pillow. My subconscious clung desperately to the last threads of my dream, now slipping away like vapor in the night.

My dream self had been positively beaming…giddy even. One hand clutched a crystal sphere while the other was held delicately by leather-clad fingers and lifted to meet a pair of soft lips. The most beautiful unmatched pair of eyes smiled tenderly at me from beneath a fringe of blonde hair. "Awaken now, precious thing. Our time has yet begun." His voice was as smooth as velvet and it seemed to seep through my body like warm water. My dream self never wanted the moment to end.

"Sarah Williams, if you're not down here in two minutes…"

My eyes cracked open to the familiar decorations of my bedroom: a stuffed fox with an eye-patch, a wooden labyrinth, the Escher poster, and a regal figurine dressed in dove-gray breeches. I rolled over, and my back hit something hard. I pulled out a red-covered book from beneath me with confusion. How did this get here? Was I reading it before I fell asleep?

Something was not right. I was forgetting something. An overwhelming surge of anxiety rioted through me. I had been looking for something…I'd been so afraid and felt so guilty about losing it…With a soft cry of alarm, I tossed back the covers and flew from the bedroom and across the hall. The door to my parents bedroom was open, the room empty. I ran down the stairs, nearly tripping on one of my stuffed teddy bears, before barreling wild-eyed into the kitchen.

"Toby!" I shrieked.

My stepmother, Karen, was sipping from a mug of coffee while perusing her latest fashion magazine. She looked me over disparagingly. My dad was busily serving up platters of eggs and bacon. I sighed with relief at the sight of my baby brother, happily tossing Cheerios onto the floor from the little tray on his high chair. "He's alright," I murmured to myself before taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm my thundering heart.

"What in the world has gotten into you this morning?" Karen's voice snipped across the kitchen.

I trudged to my chair and sat down. "Nothing. Just had a strange dream is all," I mumbled before reaching for the orange juice. I wolfed down my breakfast as fast as I could, desperate to return to the sanctuary of my bedroom. I felt strangely conflicted. I should've been happy that Toby was alright, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed that everything was as normal as could be this morning.

"Are you sure you're alright, honey? You're awfully quiet this morning," my dad asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, just tired. Actually, my head kind of hurts, I think I should probably just go lay back down. Um, thanks for breakfast," I muttered before high-tailing it back up the stairs.

I flung myself face first onto the mattress as soon as the door slammed behind me, forgetting about the hard cover book awaiting me near my pillow. The bright red cover and gold lettering seemed to mock me now. I pulled it towards me and fought back a sudden rush of tears.

It had only been a dream after all, complete with all my favorite characters from the story, including my ideal version of the Goblin King. He was the perfect enigma. He had terrified me, but I'd never backed down; playing the part of the brave princess worthy to be his adversary. He had been so wickedly beautiful – cold, ethereal, and yet seductive – that every time he was near me my heart had raced. I'd never reacted to anyone like that before. Even now, my heart ached as if I had lost someone I loved, and I guessed in a way I did. Only, how could you lose something that wasn't real? My fingers caressed the cover of the book as an overwhelming flood of loneliness spread through me. My whole soul seemed to hurt at the loss of what could never be. It just wasn't fair.

"Sarah, your father and I are going - "

I looked up to meet the calculating gaze of the woman I had recently referred to as my evil stepmother. She frowned deeply as she took in the book I was holding, apparently so disgusted that it stopped her initial thought. "Not that book again. I should take it away from you after the stunt you pulled last night! Really, Sarah; coming home more than an hour late, then not being bothered to remember to close the window in our bedroom? Your brother could've taken ill!"

"What? I didn't open the window, I feel asleep after I put him down for the night," I defended.

Her eyes narrowed in response to my argument. "You are the most ridiculous girl! When are you going to put aside this silly fairy tale nonsense and grow up?" Her hands motioned wildly to the 'fairy tale nonsense' that decorated my room. "Get some real friends? Date some nice boys? You're nearly sixteen years old, Sarah; this obsession of yours is not healthy!"

I swallowed a lump in my throat and wiped hastily at the liquid leaking from my right eye. "What did you want to tell me…when you walked in?" I asked softly, completely ignoring her tirade. Maybe I was finally learning that the best way to deal with her was to get her to the point as quickly as possible.

She squared her shoulders, obviously as surprised by my acquiescence as I was. "We're going out. Since you said you're staying in for the day, could you please watch Toby? We should be back by dinner time."

I nodded my head quietly without looking at her. Taking that as a yes, she turned and closed the door behind her.

My eyes wandered around my room again, pausing on the figure beside my bed. I picked it up and let my fingers caress the delicate medallion around its neck and brush the strands of wild blonde hair. It looked so much like him. "Jareth…" I whispered longingly as I let the tears finally fall.

Of course it had all been a dream! I was so stupid! I _was_ nothing but a ridiculous girl, and it shouldn't have surprised me that my pretend friends ended up in my dreams with the amount of time I invested in them while awake. For once, Karen was right. This wasn't healthy.

With a new sense of purpose, I stalked from my bed to retrieve an empty box from my closet. A variety of tears continued to trail across my cheeks as I packed up all of my childhood treasures – some angry, some determined, and many in mourning – not stopping until my room somewhat resembled that of a normal teenage girl. At the top of the box, I placed the worn copy of _The Labyrinth_ before pushing the whole thing underneath my bed.

The Goblin King may hold court over my fantasies, but from now on, I would hold power over my reality. I would be the champion I always wanted to be. I would find real friends, I would fantasize about real boys, and I wouldn't waste another thought on the magical kingdom underground.

I smiled tentatively at my resolutions, trying desperately to ignore the stabbing in my heart. This was what I wanted. But why did my victory feel so empty?

* * *

A/N And there we have it! Thank you for taking a chance on my story. Future chapters will have both Sarah and Jareth POVs. As you can probably surmise, Jareth will be back to claim his prize, though as with any good story, it certainly will not go easily for him. I really hope you will keep reading.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! It seems a lot of people read this first part, but don't keep going. I admit to being a bit puzzled by that, because being just a prologue, you can't really judge the whole story...can you?


	2. Waiting in an Empty Reality

Disclaimer: The thrilling world of Labyrinth and all its delicious characters belongs to the late great Jim Henson. I am merely borrowing them for my own amusement. (Do I really have to give Jareth back?)

A/N Thank you to you lovely people who are reading, reviewing, and setting alerts for my story! I am truly honored. I asked last chapter whether I should split the POV, and the vote was an even one to one, so I decided to be the tie-breaker. Sorry, Jareth just had to have his say. I know he seems soft right now, but fear not, his edge will return!!

Chapter 1

Waiting in an Empty Reality

**Sarah's POV**

"Sarah," her voice whined, "You never go on dates. Please, just this once? He'll only go if I find someone for his cousin."

I sighed despairingly and frowned, though the effect was slightly lost on my friend seeing as we were speaking over the phone. "I don't know, Ray, you know I'm moving bright and early tomorrow morning. I don't want to be hung over while traipsing up and down three flights of stairs."

"Oh come on, Sarah. I promise we won't stay out too late. Hell, I'll even help move some boxes tomorrow."

Wow. She must really like this guy. Rachel Hobson was not a fan of any sort of hard labor. Though, she'd never been hard up for dates either, so it was a little difficult to take her undying love for Mr. Right Now very seriously.

"Please..." she whined again. "I think you'll really like him, I mean, from what Scott's said and all."

Doubtful. I was one week post-graduation and less than a month away from my twenty-second birthday, and so far the opposite sex happily remained a complete mystery to me. I hadn't even been kissed. It wasn't as if I hadn't had ample opportunity – I was confident enough in myself to realize I was fairly attractive and of sound mind and spirit – but no one had ever interested me. _"That's not exactly true, Sarah,"_ my inner voice reprimanded, though it was quickly silenced by my iron will.

I'd gone on my fair share of dates – mostly to appease my stepmother and if I was honest with myself, to try and force my fanciful heart to let go of its ridiculous fantasies – but there was always something instantaneously wrong with each of my potential boyfriends. Almost as if something was inherently missing. Everyone thought I just held impossibly high standards, and perhaps they were right. I had already danced with my prince charming, albeit in a rather realistic dream, and I wouldn't settle for anyone less. I just had to hope that he really was out there somewhere. In the mean time, I'd just have to keep looking.

"Fine. But I'm driving myself separately."

Her answering squeal did not bode well for the headache that was already forming. "You won't regret this Sarah; I just know this is going to be great!"

"So what's his name, anyways?"

"Umm, Jason, or Jeremy, or something…I don't remember exactly, but he sounds gorgeous."

"What a minute, you haven't even met the guy? How do you know he's not some weird psycho killer?"

"Sarah, you think every guy's a psycho killer!" She laughed. "Chill! Now, go jump in the shower and make yourself even more gorgeous than you already are. We're meeting at Marcello's at seven. Don't be late!" She hung up before I had a chance to argue. She knew me too well.

I sighed indulgently once more and glanced around my bedroom. Boxes were stacked against the far wall and clothes lay scattered everywhere. By this time tomorrow, this would be Karen's guest bedroom, and I'd be living in a dump in the borough of Queens. It was strange to realize I was standing on the threshold of such a huge moment of my life. This quiet bedroom held so many memories that it was hard to imagine that another room in another building would ever be home to me. But this room was also haunted.

Six years ago I'd made the choice to pack up my deepest desires and move on with my life. Had I really been successful? A handful of friends who were barely more than acquaintances and party buddies, and a string of pointless dates, hardly seemed like an accomplishment to me. Nor had they brought me even a measure of the happiness I'd felt surrounded by my fairy tales. Still, I'd finally achieved that delightful image of 'normal' that was expected of me. I just had a hard time accepting normal as anything but an empty reality.

**Jareth's POV**

"Will she like it?" I asked anyone and no one as I surveyed the final touches of my newly decorated chamber. The black marble walls had been softened by sheer drapes in deep jeweled tones of purple, sapphire, and crimson. The ceiling had been painted to reflect a twilight sky, and satin sheets in the same sapphire color adorned the massive bed. The scent of jasmine hung heavily in the air, supplied on a warm breeze from the open balcony. A garden of the most exotic flowers now graced the patio area. Beyond the castle, the Labyrinth stretched nearly as far as the eye could see in tones of gold and brown. Every inch had been polished to a glimmering sheen, should she care to explore it.

Everywhere I looked, I could imagine seeing her.

"Certainly, Your Majesty. It was after all, just lacking a woman's touch."

I turned and offered a guarded smile to the woman behind me. Her capable hands adjusted the billowing curtains to their best advantage. While certainly beautiful, the Fae lady could not hold a candle to my love. Her long wheat-colored hair paled in comparison to the cascades of mahogany that I longed to lose my fingers to. Her blue eyes were not the deep pools of jade which haunted my very soul.

My love. How odd those words once seemed. I was after all, the Goblin King, incapable of anything other than cruelty, mischief, and perhaps desire. But my world was turned upside down when that mere slip of a girl challenged me and nearly won.

It had been six years…six torturously long years since I released her back to her mortal realm. How fitting that tonight – the night when we would finally be reunited after possibly the longest years in my very long existence – was the anniversary of our betrothal.

I had watched and waited patiently as she blossomed from a beautiful girl to a stunning young woman. As much as it had pained me to let her go, I had promised to give her everything she wanted: her brother returned safely, her friends' ascension to greatness, and more time to develop into the woman she was now. Although she had stubbornly clung to the notion that our time together was just a dream once she returned to the Aboveground – an unfortunate side effect of being human – she had not been able to abandon her fantasies altogether, and her dreams still sang of her promises to me.

"_Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."_ I still remembered how terrified I had been. Had she ever suspected just how much power she held over me in that moment?

"_I do love you, Jareth,"_ she'd whispered as her fingers closed around the dream crystal I'd offered.

Tonight our wait would be over, for in the morning, Sarah Williams was leaving her parents' house to make a life for herself. This was her condition to having a few more years before taking her place by my side. It was time to fully remind her of her promised duty.

"Why, Goblin King, I do believe you've grown soft," she mused, no doubt taking in my far away expression.

"Only for her, Aetia." I straightened my posture and stalked purposefully towards the large closet hidden behind a mirrored panel. "Has Raelle made the arrangements?" I questioned while pulling out the set of mortal clothes I'd hidden for this very purpose.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Though I understand it took much convincing," a smile lit her voice.

I couldn't help but grin internally in response. I could only imagine what an irritant my servant must have been on Sarah over the past few months. As a hobgoblin, she was essentially considered goblin nobility, given her ability to shift her form, though her 'princess' tendencies could be exhausting. I'd been only too delighted to assign her the task of being Sarah's outgoing friend if only to gain some peace and quiet in the castle.

I took a steadying breath and closed my eyes, surprised and a bit unnerved by the surge of emotions flashing through me. Everything was about to change.

"Good. It is time to bring our queen home." With the toss of a crystal, I vanished.

**Sarah's POV**

By the time I made it to Marcello's, rain was bucketing down so hard that I could barely make out the entrance from the glare of the streetlamps on the slick pavement in the otherwise black night. After narrowly avoiding a ditch, and then soaking myself to the bone, thus wasting the hour I had spent on my hair and makeup, I was in no mood to play wingman and seriously debated just getting back in the car and heading back home.

Naturally, the place was packed. If I had in anyway been in doubt of the scowl that adorned my face, all I needed to do was judge the reactions of those around me. Apparently, looking murderous was the best way to get to the front of a large crowd.

"Sarah! Finally! I swear, you would pick tonight of all night's to start showing up late," Rachel's voice spiked through the mob of people crammed together like sardines in a can in the lobby of the restaurant. She scowled slightly while dragging me by the arm towards the bar.

Her scowl softened into a gleeful smile as we approached two tall men. Both were turned away from us, distracted by a baseball game or something, no doubt. I recognized the reddish-brown hair of Rachel's Scott immediately, meaning the other guy must be my mystery date.

I used the brief moments to assess him. From what I could see, he was tall and lean, though his posture spoke of a hidden strength. He had sandy blonde hair that was cut in a type of shag that brushed his collar. I felt a surprising urge to run my fingers through it to see if it was really as soft as it looked. As if he could feel my eyes on him, he turned to meet my stare. Intensity blazed through his cornflower blue eyes so strongly that I instantly blushed. What the hell was wrong with me? I _never_ reacted to men like this!

"Sarah, this is Jared. Jared, Sarah," Rachel motioned between us before wrapping her dainty arm through Scott's.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sarah," he spoke softly before taking my hand and bringing my fingers to his mouth. He actually kissed my knuckle like some old-fashioned courtier!

His stare never left my face, giving me ample opportunity to continue studying him. I'd heard the expression 'cheekbones that could cut glass' but I'd never actually witnessed it until now. Mischief and promises danced in his eyes, causing a rumble of heat to flash through me. I fought back a whimper of embarrassment. "It-it's nice to meet you too…Jared," I stammered. Somehow his name felt wrong on my tongue, like I was pronouncing it incorrectly or something.

The whole moment felt suspended in time like an extreme case of déjà vu. Six years ago I might've said it was a meeting of fate. My entire soul seemed to resonate in some kind of recognition. "You look so familiar," I mumbled, my brain trying to connect his face with some distant memory. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I suppose I just have one of those faces," he chuckled softly. His voice was lovely, and strangely accented. He really was the stuff of dreams.

I caught a glimpse of Rachel's beaming face behind Jared's shoulder. She was doing her giddy dance, and it wasn't long before she made her symbol for 'check you later' before she and Scott disappeared into the crowd.

I settled my attention back on Jared's face, noticing that his unnerving eyes were settled on my chest. With a loud gasp, I looked down to see that the rain had made me positively indecent. My emerald shirt clung to my body leaving very little to the imagination. A lazy smirk appeared on his flawless lips as I crossed my arms in outraged indignation. "What the hell do you think you're looking at?"

"I think you know very well what has captivated my attention," the smirk widened into a delicious smile that promised very dark little deeds. "My dear, you are positively radiant."

"I don't think I know you well enough for you to speak to me that way," I narrowed my eyes at him, simultaneously delighted and mortified by his blatant display. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that I didn't slap him across his beautifully arrogant face. I supposed it was a good thing we were in a crowded bar.

"Perhaps not, though I hope to remedy that situation in the direct future." He bent his head nearer and whispered, "Tell me, Sarah, do you like stories? For I do believe you have stolen my heart away like some heroine in a fairy tale romance."

"That has to be the worst pick-up line I've ever heard," I replied rather breathlessly. I realized I had leaned closer to him as he spoke. One of my hands rested on the fabric of his black button-down shirt. He smelled incredible, almost like…

"_Get a grip, Sarah! This guy is a sleazeball!"_ One voice raged. _"But there is something so intoxicatingly familiar… right…about him…"_ another countered.

As my psyche frantically processed my next move, a large body shoved into my back, consequently forcing me to tumble into Jared's arms. I pushed against him and struggled to stand up straight as a flush of embarrassment spread across my face.

"I must say, I don't remember it being quite so easy to unnerve you," he grinned playfully, before reaching a perfectly sculpted hand to move a stray piece of hair away from my eyes. His skin never touched mine, but the jolt of electricity was there all the same.

"What are you talking about?" I inquired softly, though my heart was already thundering violently.

"Don't you remember me, precious thing?" A touch of sadness lit his eyes.

The light around us suddenly changed in a wash of glitter. The noisy crowd was nowhere to be seen. We stood, alone, beneath a dome of crystalline glass. Soft iridescent lighting cast a pearl-like quality over his features. I jerked back from his embrace as a cry escaped my lips. "You!"

His face had transformed. The lines were more angular, his eyes renewed to their wondrous mismatched state, and his hair had paled and changed into a mass of various lengths and textures. "Who else would it be, Sarah? Tonight, of all nights..." He stepped closer, holding a crystal in his outstretched palm.

"Where are we?" My voice was faint. I was fighting the urge to fling myself at him. He was here, my prince charming, my Goblin King, after so many years, and he was still just as beautiful and frightening as ever.

"Inside your dream. I've come to help you remember. Only thirteen more hours until we can be together again, dearest." He took the last step which separated us and wrapped my fingers around the crystal before pulling me flush against his chest. "You don't know how long I've waited for you, Sarah. Our time will soon begin." Never breaking eye contact, he lowered his head to brush his lips against mine, before everything went black.

**Jareth's POV**

"You have done well, Raelle."

"Thank-you, Sire. Does this mean I can return to the Underground now?" The tiny hobgoblin bounced back and forth on her heels. Delight was brimming in her yellow eyes and her rapturous smile nearly cast a beauty on her pale green face.

"Soon. I need you to stay here until after I bring the queen home."

"And Scott…"

"Yes, yes. I will uphold my promise. Though, I leave it up to you to find the means to trick him into it. You know I can't simply take him."

Her grin widened, if that was even possible. She was practically floating in her excitement now. "Oh, that _won't_ be a problem. Not a problem at all. Just leave it to me, er, Rachel."

I fought back a laugh as she danced back into the shadows of the rainy night, before shifting into my owl form. The rain was heavy and cold on my feathers, but I found it somewhat soothing after the tumultuous encounter with Sarah. My blood was still boiling from being so close to her after so long. She was even more beautiful than my crystals had revealed. I'd known the fire she possessed in her spirit, but now I could see how that would translate into her passion as well. She may still believe me to be some dream, but she definitely remembered me, and was just as affected by my presence as she'd been before, if not even more so.

Even in my animal form, I could still feel the prickle of magic that had flowed between us after I allowed myself that brief kiss. If there were any doubts that she was my intended, they had crumbled once my magic had recognized her.

And she had taken the crystal. I knew she didn't realize what that meant, yet she had accepted it just the same. Nothing could stop me from claiming her now that she bore my mark on her soul.

I flew to a stop on a branch outside a two-story Victorian home. This vantage point offered me the perfect view of the sleeping raven-haired beauty beyond the window. Her face softened in her slumber and nearly took my breath away. I could hardly believe that my wait was almost over. For so long my life had been filled with nothing but an empty sort of apathy. Sarah's arrival had awoken a dormant part of me that I had given up hope of ever finding. I couldn't lose her.

"_Sleep, precious thing. For with the dawn comes the beginning of all things."_ Tucking my head beneath my wing, I settled in for what I hoped to be my last solitary night of eternity.

* * *

A/N: Please keep the reviews coming. It only takes a few seconds to leave a comment, and it really does feed my writing machine! Are you as confused as Sarah? Do you like Raelle the hobgoblin? Who the hell is Aetia? Are you picking up on Jareth's possessive=love tendencies? Should there be more human Jareth later in the story? Hmmm?


	3. A Child No More

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is not mine. I'm just having a great time playing in it

A/N: Wow, three chapters in a day and a half. (Don't get used to it!) So yeah, this story is sort of writing itself at this point. I was pretty happy with some of the things that just flowed out of my fingers without any real input in this chapter. I hope you like it too! Thanks to all who are reading, reviewing, and setting alerts! You make me smile! And yes, I am aware that there is a HP reference in this story.

Chapter 2

A Child No More

**Sarah's POV**

I sat straight up in bed, gulping air into my lungs as if I had been drowning. The dream was already fading away, though bits and pieces clung to the periphery like blurred edges of a photograph. A voice I'd long ago cherished and pushed aside rang through my ears; _"You're mine now, precious thing."_

"_Just give me enough time to grow up. I-I can't be what you want; not yet at least."_

"_Say your right words, Sarah."_

"_When my childhood home is no longer my own, I will make my new home in the Underground as the Goblin Queen..."_

My head fell into my trembling hands as I tried to calm my breathing. My chest felt like it was on fire, almost as if I had been branded. I hadn't had a dream this vivid in a very long time. I felt weak and exhausted and my heart pounded the same love-sick rhythm it had accustomed itself to six years ago. The only thing I could compare it to was ripping off a band aid to reveal a wound that had never completely healed; never even _begun_ to heal. Why was this all happening again? Why now?

A soft rapping on my door broke me from my terrified spell. "Sarah, are you up yet?"

I checked a glance at my night table to notice it was well past nine in the morning. I was supposed to be doing something today, wasn't I? "Um, yeah…what do you need?" I called through the door.

A sliver of light poured in from the hallway, revealing the tall frame of my father, Robert. Laughingly, he spoke, "What do I need? Goodness Sarah, how much did you and that wild girl have to drink last night? Did you forget you're moving today?"

My head spun slightly as my disorientation drifted away. Oh right. Today was moving day. And last night I'd…

I frowned. My memories of last night were hazier than the dream I'd just experienced. I recalled something about a crowded restaurant and a blind date, but I had no idea if it had gone well, or for that matter, if I'd even met the guy at all! How much _did_ I have to drink last night?

I forced a sheepish smile on my face and decided to play clueless with my father. "Sorry. Guess I forgot to set the alarm."

"Well, hop to it. Traffic will be bad enough as it is." He closed the door softly while humming to himself. He was far too cheerful in my opinion.

I flopped back down on my mattress and flung my arm across my face. The unsettled feeling was still coursing through my veins, but I didn't really have time to analyze it any further. I supposed it was probably just some manifestation of my anxiety towards moving out on my own. I was about to be my own woman, and even though I was excited, I knew it would be a huge responsibility. I was entering that strange territory between child and adult. I just hoped that I knew what the hell I was getting myself into.

The door to my room swung open forcefully just as I was making the decision to hoist myself out of bed. "OMG, Sarah! Was last night awesome or what?" Rachel's naturally high voice was even more obnoxious than usual. Compounded by her abrupt launch onto my bed, and she had officially earned the title of my least favorite person of the day.

"I don't really remember that much. Geez, Ray, why'd you let me get so wasted?" I spoke through grated teeth as I stood to stretch. One of my hands moved to massage my ribs; that burning sensation was really getting annoying.

She grinned completely unapologetically. "Sorry Chickee, but you really needed it after that a-hole stood you up." She turned to primp her long black hair in the mirror.

So the mystery date had been a no show. I guess that's better than not remembering him at all. "Is that so? I couldn't have been too heartbroken, I mean, I was only there for you anyways." I stifled a yawn and crossed the room to open the shade. My eyes caught on something white fluttering on the branch that barely scraped my window. I pushed up the glass and reached for it.

It was a feather. Nearly pure white, with a spot of brown on the tip, it was as long as my hand and incredibly soft. _"I wonder where this came from?"_ I mused internally.

"Whatcha got there?" Rachel bounced over and plucked the feather from my hand. "Oh cool! It's an owl feather."

"And how may I ask do you know that?"

"Duh. I'm wicked smart, Sarah," she batted her eyelashes. She handed the feather back to me. "You should hang on to it; I hear they are good luck."

I brought the feather to my cheek and let it caress my skin, my thoughts once again trying to reclaim more fragments from the previous evening. I felt so close to remembering something I inherently knew I was never supposed to forget.

"Earth to Sarah…are you planning to get dressed anytime soon?"

I blinked and turned my attention back to my friend. She was waving her hands back and forth in front of my face. She giggled. "Sorry. I didn't sleep very well."

"I can't imagine why," she threw open one of my dresser drawers and proceeded to toss a t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts at me. "This couldn't be one of the biggest days of your life or anything," she retorted sarcastically.

"You're just happy you'll have someplace to crash when you and Scott go on an all night bender in the city," I laughed.

"OMG Scott! I forgot to tell you, we're getting married!" Her face exploded into a beaming smile. She continued pelting me with clothes – socks, underwear, bra – without missing a beat.

"Well, I mean, _he_ doesn't know it yet, but trust me, he'll be treating me like the princess I am in no time!"

I was too shocked to speak. Here I was freaking out about moving out on my own while the closest thing I had to a best friend was ready to start picking out invitations.

"I know, I know, I've only known him for a week. But I'm telling you, Sarah, he's the one. And when you know, you know. Right?"

I certainly hoped not. Otherwise, I was relegated to love a figment of my imagination for the rest of eternity.

I found myself lingering over the few remaining memories I'd retained from my dreams as I slipped into the bathroom to get ready for the day. Ever since I banished my fanciful ways, the dreams had come fewer and farther in between, but I'd never forgotten his face, or the way my whole body seemed to react whenever he was near. Though I couldn't remember exactly what I'd dreamt last night, I knew he had been there. Snippets of promises and vows were scrambling to make sense in my brain, as if they were truly more than a dream.

I jumped as a loud bang resounded through the wall. Hurrying back into my bedroom, I found Rachel flat on her butt with the headboard of my bed laying half on top of her. She smiled sweetly and said, "Perhaps I'd better just stick to helping with those boxes."

**Jareth's POV**

I could scarcely conceal the grin threatening to break over my face as I replayed the scene again and again. Sarah's beautiful visage swam through the mist of the crystal. One of my feathers was clutched in her delicate hand, and she gently brushed it repeatedly over her cheek. I felt the match of the caress against my own skin as surely as if she had duplicated the motion on my face as well. The bond had taken hold much quicker than I had anticipated.

She'd awoken with hardly any memory of last night's events, as according to plan, yet she was well on her way to remembering the truth of everything. I felt a slight pang of regret when she became cognizant of the bonding, as I did not want to cause her any pain, though I knew it was necessary, and the heated sensation would only be temporary.

I'd stayed by her side as long as I dared, but as the sun rose, I'd been forced to seek solace amidst the shadows of a nearby forest. Though not directly deadly, the Aboveground sun was much harsher than the magic illumination of the Underground, and my kind did not tolerate it well.

Raelle had returned to Sarah in my stead under the guise of helping her move. I suspected I'd owe her even more than her dreams of mortal love after an afternoon of physical exertion.

A fissure in the surrounding air pressure alerted me to her return. She stood cautiously behind me, not speaking until I acknowledged her. "Raelle."

"Sire."

"All is well?" I inquired without turning around.

"As well as can be expected. She's practically dead on her feet, and the burn has been bothering her all day, though she won't admit it. Her father was bringing up the last few boxes when I left. She should be alone by now."

"You have done well, hobgoblin," I praised, though my voice was carefully devoid of any true emotion. It served no one to feed into her natural vanity.

She shuffled on her feet before speaking in a meek, respectful tone; "I've thought about my payment, and I think I've figured out a way for it to work."

"Oh? Enlighten me."

"I just need some gobsweed. Won't that start the transformation?"

I turned towards the relatively young hobgoblin with slight mystification. Here, in the mortal realm, she took the form of a beautiful temptress. By human standards, her willowy figure, long shiny coal black hair, heart-shaped face, and light brown eyes were the very recipe of desire. She could ensnare a human male with little more than a twitch of her lips, leaving them broken-hearted once her fickle nature revealed itself. Of course, that was the whole purpose of her particular race of goblin.

In a world populated by ethereal Fae creatures, the goblins needed leaders who could rise above the natural derision engendered by their usually gnarled faces and disfigured bodies in order to have a modicum of fairness. Hobgoblins were revered by their people, particularly because they were so rare and the goblin race had yet to discover any rhyme or reason for how one was created. So it was only natural that those of the 'lucky born', as they were affectionately called, considered themselves slightly above the rules of established society and thought little of the feelings of others. Just so long as they remembered their place in deference to their king.

"You wish to turn your beloved into a goblin?" I smirked humorously. "In that case, why not just wish him away?"

"Because then he'd belong to _you_, not me," her answering smirk held the promise of possession. I'd observed Raelle's tendencies for obsession over the past few decades, but she had never once fought so strongly to keep one of her lovers. I felt a small amount of pity for the unsuspecting human male that had caught her eye.

"And what will you do with him, cruel Raelle?" I teased. "Will you make him your plaything? Cast him aside once you've had your fill of him? What then of this poor…Scott was it?"

Her pouty lips turned down in a scowl. "It's different this time."

"Really. In what way?" I straightened to my full height and crossed my arms, affecting my haughty countenance with practiced ease. It wasn't that I was terribly interested in what became of the hobgoblin's latest treasure, but watching her discomfort was amusing and a tolerable distraction from the time I still had left to wait.

Her lip trembled, either in fury or despair, I couldn't really tell. I laughed. "Relax. I can see plainly that this boy holds higher interest for you. Though, I cannot allow you to turn him into a goblin. Would you not prefer to remain here with him for the duration of his human life?"

"But the Underground is my home, Sire. I…I don't want to leave it," her false brown eyes flashed an unnatural yellow – testament to her emotional state – before she regained her composure.

"We all must make sacrifices when it comes to love," I muttered softly, thinking back on my own six years of exile. My gaze drifted back to the happy scene in the crystal. _"Soon, precious."_

"So…you just gonna wait around until nightfall?" She asked, no doubt taking in my reaction to the crystal.

"What business is it of yours?" My brow raised in annoyance. Sometime she really did forget her place.

Her eyes widened. "Uh..nothing. Not my business at all, so sorry, Your Majesty." She curtseyed low and backed away.

I sighed and began spinning the crystal in my hand back and forth across my fingers. "Go to your human. Spend at least one full week Aboveground together. After that time, we will discuss the boy's future if, and only if, I am convinced he is not just another trifle of yours."

"Thank you, Sire. I take my leave?"

I nodded. She vanished as quickly as she had come.

I conjured another crystal – this one more like a scrying surface – to show me Sarah's present. She was indeed alone; sitting on a worn green chaise and flipping through a familiar red book. A genuine smile played across her rose-colored lips, making my own heart pulse with happiness. Her hands trembled slightly as she read aloud the last few passages of the updated story. It was clear from the immediate frown on her face that she was aware of the change in the tale, though she did not yet understand the catalyst. When she herself altered the course of the story six years ago, the Labyrinth saw fit to rewrite its own version.

For Sarah was never meant to be merely the princess in that tale.

A soft ray of fading sunlight filtered through the leaves of the tree I rested against, pulling forth a mixture of anxiety and contentment within my spirit. Only one hour until sunset.

I donned my summoning armor and waited.

**Sarah's POV**

"That's the end of it," my dad's voice expelled with a heave as he dropped the last box of books onto the floor of my new living room. "Thank God! I swear you should open your own library. I didn't think my back would take that last flight of stairs," he chuckled before running a hand through his thinning brown hair.

"Thanks for all your help, Dad."

"I can't believe you're finally out on your own."

Somehow the clichéd endearment's sincerity was lessened with the inclusion of the word _finally_. I knew my stepmother was probably crowing with delight, but I had hoped my father would've been at least a little bit upset that his first born was leaving the nest.

"Be sure to use the dead bolt when you're here by yourself," he warned. Perhaps he did have a trace of fatherly devotion after all.

"I will."

"And be careful who you bring home, there are a lot of crazies in the world…"

"I will," I repeated, rocking back and forth on my heels at the strained awkwardness between us.

"Good girl. Well, I'd best be heading back…Toby has a soccer game in an hour."

Once upon a time a comment like that would've sent me into a mental temper tantrum, crying out "It's not fair!" After all, he'd never come to any of _my_ shows, or shown any interest in _my_ activities, but everything had changed with that dream. It had taken a rather realistic fantasy in which my brother was in danger of becoming a goblin to make me appreciate him. Now, he was probably the one in my family that I would miss the most.

I stood frozen to the spot until I heard the click of the door closing and soft footsteps departing on the stairs. With a hollow sigh, I sunk into the cushions of my second hand avocado couch and stared numbly at the small room around me. The entire studio apartment was barely larger than my parents' living room. A kitchenette lined the wall by the door with a beat up table off to the side and a small writing desk that housed the various pieces I would need to reassemble my computer. I was currently sitting in the living room 'nook' which was barely big enough for my sofa and a small television. Behind me was the bedroom, though it was really nothing more than a corner with a bed and several book cases. At least Karen had bought me a beautiful screen to use as a room divider. A door between the couch and the bed led to the miniscule bathroom.

It certainly wasn't a castle, but it would have to be my home nonetheless. In a few days, I would start my new job as a member of the chorus in an off-Broadway show. Despite giving up my dreams, I'd never been able to set aside my love for acting. _"You'd better love it, what with giving up that gorgeous house and free rent just so you could be closer to the theater!"_ my inner voice groaned.

And so I would play the role of a starving artist, and do so willingly! I pushed myself off the cushions and began sorting through the motley pile of 'stuff' that had been transferred from my childhood bedroom to my not-so-gleaming humble abode.

A spot of red peeking out from the last box my father had brought up caught my curiosity.

I smiled my first genuine smile in ages at the rush of happy memories that flooded through me in association with this book. Despite my recent bouts of anxiety over the very realistic dreams this story had inspired, I hadn't seen it in years, and its presence was like the return of a long lost friend. Days spent at the park in full princess regalia replayed through my mind, along with the smiling, comforting faces of my beloved imaginary childhood companions. What I wouldn't give to be able to spend just one real afternoon with the likes of the cowardly dwarf, the valiant fox knight, or…_him_.

This little story about a princess who defies a king and ultimately gains power over her own destiny had shaped my character so thoroughly it may as well have been tattooed upon my soul. Sure, I'd tossed it aside in an effort to grow up, but now that I was considered an adult, I found the call of my fantasies stronger than ever. Eagerly, my fingers flipped through the pages until I reached my favorite part; when the young princess bravely confronts the powerful, vain, beautiful, captivating Goblin King, and wins.

"_I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous? Look what I'm offering you – your dreams! I ask for so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want… Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_

_With a steady hand and a welcoming heart, the princess reached forth and accepted the crystal, and with it, the mighty heart of the Goblin King and the fealty and admiration of all who dwelled within the Labyrinth. The child returned safely to the far away kingdom where he grew to be loved and respected by all around him, while deep in the heart of the goblin kingdom, the King and his new Queen lived happily ever after, together until eternity._

I frowned as I re-read the passage. This ending was different than the one I remembered in which the princess defeats the Goblin King's power by denying his temptations, thus returning to her kingdom with her baby brother safe and sound. Could the story be just as good if the girl didn't face down her adversary? I'd always thought that was sort of the whole point. How else was she supposed to grow into her responsibilities? And would the brother really have been allowed to go home if the girl didn't defeat the king?

I settled back against the cushions and let my thoughts wander. What a perfect fairy tale that would be; a deliciously arrogant Goblin King who turned out to have a kind heart after all, one that he would give to the princess simply to earn her love in return. Would the princess love him back? I suspected she would.

"Oh Jareth, how I wish you were here…" I sighed before closing my eyes.

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A/N *cue dramatic music* So, I bet you can guess what the next chapter will be about…

I would be honored to hear your thoughts. I hope this chapter expanded on Jareth's character, despite Raelle's continued insistence to hijack everyone's scenes. I swear, she is incorrigible!

Review…please?


	4. Return of the Goblin King

Disclaimer: The world of Labyrinth and all its characters belongs to the late, great Jim Henson. I'm just having fun, and 'wishing' a certain Goblin King really did belong to me

A/N Yeah for snow days! It meant I could finish this chapter much sooner than I hoped. It's a bit shorter than the others thus far, but I liked where it ended. Let's hear it for the return of GK in all his cruel, arrogant glory!

Chapter 3

Return of the Goblin King

I was surprised to realize I'd fallen asleep as I opened my eyes to a darkened room. A glance at the microwave clock told me it was well after seven, meaning I'd dozed away the better part of an hour. I stretched stiffly from the couch and tried to catch my bearings, placing a hand to my chest as another surge of uncomfortable heat roiled under my skin. Maybe I'd pulled a muscle? Either that or I was going to have to invest in some Rolaids and stat.

The room had a slightly ominous feeling to it in the early hours of evening, almost as if someone was watching me. I shivered slightly at the cold rush along my spine and reached over to turn on the lamp plugged in by the bed, before digging into the nearest box to begin the long process of unpacking.

I'd just finished unwrapping my set of crystal figurines when a streak of lightning flashed across the sky so near the building that I felt the hairs on my neck stand up and the smell of ozone seemed to crackle through the air. I pushed aside the curtain of my new, dusty window and observed thick clouds blanketing the fading rays of twilight in tones of deep purple and gray. The night felt alive and nearly sinister. It was enough to make one believe magic was real and darkest dreams were possible.

I jumped and dropped the delicate statue I was still holding in my hand as a boom of thunder shook the entire building. A split-second later, the power cut off. "Shit!" I squeaked, my pulse beating wildly in my throat. I closed my eyes and focused on calming my breathing before laughing softly at my fright. "Talk about an adrenalin rush," I muttered, stepping carefully around the broken glass towards my dresser. Luckily, I had already unpacked one of my candles. It was my favorite. It smelled like jasmine and sandalwood – exotic and spicy – just like…_him_.

With slightly shaking fingers, I lit a match and tried to ignite the small wick. It flickered brightly for a moment before snuffing out in a sudden breeze. A shadow loomed on the wall before me with an outline of wide shoulders.

I spun quickly on my heels and had to grab onto the dresser to keep from dropping to the floor in shock. I gasped loudly, my eyes frantically searching over his imposing figure. He wore the same black goblin armor he'd worn on our first meeting - that first in a series of impossible dreams - his wild blonde hair and long black cape fluttering from the breeze of the now open window.

"You act so surprised," he stated, moving into the room and circling me while keeping his fists clenched at his hips. "It has been a long time, Sarah." His voice positively dripped with his arrogance, and a cocky smirk graced his lips. It was too dark to see his eyes well, though I could never forget their unnaturalness, or the intensity in which they conveyed his expressions. He was exactly as I remembered. This was certainly the most realistic dream I'd had in a long while.

"I must still be sleeping," I mumbled to myself. The room tilted, and my knees felt unsteady. I realized I was about five seconds from passing out in shock. This couldn't be real. I tore my startled gaze from him to notice I was still in my dingy apartment, and I could clearly hear the traffic on the street below. Definitely not the normal atmosphere of my Goblin King dreams.

"How I have missed you, precious," he took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. "These years have served you well. You are the very image of beauty. At last we can be together." His smile spread across his face.

"You're not real," I said flatly, trying to deny the ever-increasing press of reality. I pulled my hand from his and fled to the opposite side of the room.

"I assure you, I am very real." I jumped. His voice came from directly behind me. I hadn't even seen him move. I turned my head a fraction to see his disarming face mere inches from my own. His breath was hot on my cheek. I tried to step away, but one of his gloved hands wrapped around my waist and held me against him. My pulse pounded so forcefully I was sure he must have been able to feel it through his own body.

"It is time, Sarah," he spoke firmly.

"Time for what?" I asked, desperately trying to keep my voice steady.

He sighed impatiently. "To return to the Underground, of course."

"Wait, what?" I spun to face him, my voice filled with indignation. "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Is that so? What makes you think you have a choice in the matter?"

"I didn't summon you."

"Didn't you?" He cocked his head and regarded me with mock amusement.

"But...but you can't just come and take people…that's not how it works!" I spoke in rush punctuated by the even more frantic beating of my pulse.

"It is when they belong to me." He stepped forward, eyes blazing with some kind of heated promise.

"Excuse me?"

"You know very well what I speak of. This was the price you paid to have your brother returned safely." He crossed his arms and glared at me much like a teacher looks at an unruly student.

"But…but I won!" I sputtered, sounding more like a petulant child by the second.

"Did you? Well, I suppose in a way, we both won."

My mind refused to make sense of what he was saying. I did the only thing I could think of, deciding to play along and act my part. "I don't recall trading my freedom in the process."

"You didn't. You accepted your dreams," he smiled.

"You think my dreams involve you and the Goblin City?" I spoke harshly.

A shadow flashed through his eyes. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was hurt by my words, but his careful mask of superiority returned before I could think much on the matter. "Don't they? Tell me, Sarah. What _do_ you dream about?"

I tried really, really hard not to blush. I swear I did. Sometimes trying isn't enough.

Unfortunately, my traitorous body's response seemed to please him. His lips twitched knowingly and he moved closer. A crystal appeared in his hand. I watched, mesmerized, as he made it roll across his fingers. The scene was eerily familiar. "No." I said flatly.

His voice dropped to a whisper so seductive it made my blood hum. "But my dear, I haven't offered you anything…yet."

I backed away from him until I felt my bed hit the back of my knees. I was seconds away from either dragging him down to the sheets with me or crying out in terror. Six years ago it had killed part of my soul to tuck away my childhood fantasies, and now the literal King of all of them was standing in front of me, claiming I belonged to him. I was really losing it this time.

"You really don't remember, do you?" He mused, though disappointment lingered in his eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I lied. For in fact, as he stood wielding his crystal, I did remember the dream that had sent my life in an entirely different direction with painful clarity. I remembered the crushing realization that my deepest, darkest desires were the stuff of make-believe and that once upon a time he had offered them to me in exchange for my brother. I had turned him down, hadn't I?

He stiffened ever-so-slightly and his eyes glazed over as if his thoughts were suddenly taken someplace else. A strange ripple of glittering dust seemed to resonate around him.

"What's going on?" I asked somewhat cautiously.

"Nothing to concern yourself with. Now, where were we?" He stalked towards me slowly. I had no choice but to sink down onto my mattress with him towering over me like the king he was.

He was so beautiful. I wanted so badly to reach out to him and pull him down beside me, but I couldn't. That thought alone should've been enough to convince me this was no dream. I'd never seen the point to deny myself before, why start now? I closed my eyes, hoping that by removing him from my field of vision, I'd regain the power I'd so desperately been trying to hold over my fantasies. "You're not real…" I repeated, my voice barely more than a whisper. Strangely, my continued denial made the uncomfortable pressure in my chest burn hotter.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Strong fingers grasped my chin and yanked my head up to meet his stare. "I warned you once not to defy me. What's done is done. I don't want to be cruel with you anymore, Sarah. It's not supposed to be this way."

"I'm so sorry to disappoint, _Your Majesty_."

"You would do well to remember your place, _precious thing_," his voice hissed in warning.

His term of endearment jabbed through my memory with all the comfort of a paper cut doused in alcohol. I leaned very close to him, steeling my gaze and speaking through clenched teeth, "All I remember is that I hate you!" I spat. "You stole my brother, sent me on a wild goose chase through the Labyrinth, adding plenty of nasty little surprises along the way, drugged me, and all for what?"

"What a fine little actress you are," he smirked cruelly. In that moment I realized my memories and faded dreams had never done him justice. Standing before me, his aura resplendent with his intimidating allure and power, he was very much the impenetrable Goblin King of my darkest fantasy. The look in his mismatched eyes sent a ripple of fear through my soul. He'd warned me once not to push him too far, but had I listened? I couldn't speak, could barely catch my breath, as he grasped my hands and pulled me to my feet.

"Those are fine memories indeed, if not wholly accurate." His eyes narrowed. "Fine. Enough remembering, perhaps all you really need is a little forgetting…"

**Jareth's POV**

Pain throbbed through my soul as she continued to deny the reality unfolding before her. I knew in some small part of me that it was only natural for her to continue to confuse what was happening now with her dreams, but her outright insistence that I was not real, and that she did not feel our connection, was more than I could stomach. Perhaps I would've forced her true feelings from her then and there, had I not been interrupted by the ill-timed summoning.

So she sat before me – the picture of wronged innocence dressed in the skin of a temptress – and flung her cruel accusations at me. It was as if we were standing in the ruins of the Chamber of Stairs once more. I knew her mortal realm would stifle her belief in magic, but I had not expected these years to relinquish the progress we had made at our last parting.

Not that it mattered. She had given herself to me with the bargain of more time, and I had agreed. Now that time was fulfilled, and she had willingly, if not consciously, taken a part of my soul within herself. We were one, never to part, and she could not deny her place by my side any longer.

I fought to control the rage swarming through my being as she genuinely cowered before me, perhaps for the first time in her young life. I did not need to see my glaring expression to realize I was just as terrifying as I'd always promised her I could be.

"Those are fine memories indeed, if not wholly accurate," I began, fighting to control my temper at her reactions and my nuisance at the call tugging my attention in a different direction. An idea which would solve both problems surfaced in my thoughts. "Fine. Enough remembering, perhaps all you really need is a little forgetting…"

Without a further word, I pulled her flush against me and tossed a crystal in the air. The room seemed to spin in circles before dissolving completely away as if it had been peeled back to reveal a new space. I felt her firm hand clench painfully around my arm in response to her abject terror at what was happening.

As quickly as it began, the sensation stopped. I released her from my arms with an unconscious flinging motion that caused her to stumble back and slam into a hard wall. I moved forward automatically to make sure I had not injured her, but stopped short at the mask of fury displayed over her beautiful face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She shouted.

I grinned cruelly. "Welcome home, Sarah. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to. I trust even you can stay out of trouble in this place. Until later, dearest." I bent to place a kiss on her cheek, forcing myself to maintain my stance of indifference as she tried to jerk her head away, but she was not fast enough to prevent my lips from meeting her skin. The flare of our joined magic resonated at the point of contact.

I allowed myself the smallest grin of triumph as I watched her cheeks flush uncontrollably, before stepping back to conjure another transport crystal.

"Wait! Where are you going? Where the hell am I? You can't leave me here!" She shouted with a mix of outrage and fear.

"Fear not, precious. You will see me again soon. Might I suggest you use this time to reflect on your past promises? I assure you, you will be quite safe here," I couldn't help but laugh at the adorable pout she wore. Changing my intent, I reformed the crystal I held and suspended it in the air above her. For the moment, it would cast a shimmering fall of silver light over the cramped space, but once I left, it would serve an entirely different purpose.

The fury melted from her expression, replaced by a look I had seen grace her face only once before. She looked as lost and broken now as she did the night I took her brother from her, before her defiance had given birth to her impressive bravado. It was almost enough to deter me from my obligation. I cursed internally as the summoning grew stronger. I had ignored it for too long and now it pulsed angrily through my body in fits of stinging waves.

I faded reluctantly from the small stone chamber with the flick of a crystal and prepared myself to appear in yet another strange nursery. I truly pitied the child that had to face me tonight.

* * *

A/N: Reviews are lovely and welcomed:)


	5. Not Like I Remembered

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sadly not mine. Thank you to the imagination of Jim Henson and Co. for bringing this world and its characters to life! I promise to use them gently…for the most part.

A/N: Prepare yourself for angry Jareth. He pretty much picked up the metaphorical pen and demanded to write himself this way…but wouldn't you be annoyed too? Thank you to everyone who is reading, alerting, favoriting, and especially taking the time to review. It means a lot to me! Shout-out to **legallygwen, Princesakarlita411, Mommys-Little-Nightmare,** and **Purplerhino** for not being shy!

Chapter 4

Not Like I Remembered

**Jareth's POV**

"Take him! I can't stand this another minute!" Her tear-ravaged voice was venomous in her disgust. I perused the child screaming in her arms. The baby was less than a year old and appeared to be hardly more than skin and bones. His clothes were soiled, and it was apparent that he had not been changed in some while.

"How dare you mistreat a child in this manner and then offer him away to the stuff of nightmares?" The usual arrogance I displayed at these events was replaced by a cold, hard wrath. Never before had a summoner so thoroughly revolted me with their selfishness and insolence. Of course, it didn't help this wretched girl's fate that she had interrupted my plans with her ill-timed wish.

"But, he's the nightmare! I never wanted him, I'm only eighteen. He's ruining my life! You have to take him. Those are the rules aren't they?"

"Do not presume to tell me what the rules are, you stupid girl." I stalked closer and let my magic carry my mood over her in a tangible wave.

She flinched and closed her eyes. I willed the baby out of her arms and sent him to Aetia. I wanted nothing between me and the pathetic excuse of a mortal when her terrified eyes opened.

After a long moment of silence, she cracked her lids open experimentally. Realizing the baby was gone, she breathed a sigh of misplaced relief and a smile began forming on her lips. I had a crystal ready in my palm before she was able to finish it.

"Is…is that for me?" She asked quietly, her eyes fixated on the orb rolling back and forth across my gloved hand.

I smiled cruelly. "Oh yes, Theresa. This is your payment for what you've done to the baby."

Her feet carried her forward. She reached out a hand to take the crystal, and accidentally brushed against my arm. The crystal disappeared within a flash and my fingers wrapped around her wrist nearly hard enough to crush it. "Don't. Touch. Me." I snarled mere inches from her face.

The color drained from her skin, and she quickly screwed her eyes shut again. When they reopened, we were standing at the gate of the Labyrinth. She pulled away and turned wildly, surveying her unnatural surroundings. I could see the vein at her neck pounding with her fear.

"Where am I?"

"In the goblin kingdom, of course," I answered with no attempt to hide my condescension.

"But it's not supposed to happen like this! I gave you the baby, now you're supposed to give me a gift!"

"Telling me what to do again, Theresa? Is that really so wise?" My hands crossed in front of my chest. My fingers throbbed with the desire to hurl power at her. I had never felt so close to completely losing my temper in all the centuries I'd dealt with this unfortunate obligation of my station. "For your sacrifice, I give you this crystal," I reformed the simple sphere that was little more than a bauble and tossed it to her. "May it be a delight for your eyes in the trials to come."

"What are you talking about?" She whined. "I want to go home right now, you pretentious bastard!"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Theresa. You have committed vile crimes against an innocent child and dishonored a king. The punishments for both offenses are quite severe. However, I am feeling generous," I smirked. I could feel the scorn positively brimming in my eyes. "I will give you thirteen hours to solve my Labyrinth. Should you succeed, I will send you home. If you fail, you'll become a goblin forever."

I transported to the castle amidst her wails of protest, finding it very difficult to feel any trace of regret for the steep price I was forcing her to pay. Bypassing the throne room, where I knew even now Aetia was caring for the new child of the Underground, I made my way unnoticed to my chambers.

Nothing was going as I'd intended. Not even two days ago I stood in this room hopeful and exultant that I would finally have my piece of happiness, only to have it be denied to me again. My fingers grasped another scrying crystal to check on the seed of my discontent. She sat curled upon herself against the oubliette wall, her eyes sadly gazing at the scene I'd left for her.

I could not understand this mortal girl…woman…who could have such intense desires and then just as easily lock them away. I knew the secrets of her dreams and they had not changed much in the ensuing years since she had accepted them. If anything, she longed for the life I would give her even more now than before. But she did not realize the measure of her own feelings. As long as she believed that she hated me, her soul would not bond completely to mine. Yesterday I had foolishly given my part to her, thinking myself secure in our bargain. I did not know where we stood now. I had brought the Goblin Queen back to her rightful place, but she did not recognize what she had committed herself to six years ago.

I flung the crystal at one of the curtained walls, taking small satisfaction when it shattered and set the red silk ablaze. I was a fool indeed. How could I bring her here as things were between us, where everyone waited for the arrival of my betrothed with suspended anticipation? But, I couldn't very well leave her in the oubliette. That certainly would not remind her heart of its love for me. If she were brought to the castle by someone other than me, perhaps I could settle her in with little fanfare, and maybe with more time her feelings would return?

It was a tenuous plan at best, but I saw little choice. I suspected I'd be the last person she'd want to see at the moment. I almost regretted setting the crystal viewer in the oubliette with her. Almost.

With a steadying breath, I straightened my attire and spoke to the empty room; "The King wishes to speak with Hoggle the Dwarf."

**Sarah's POV**

It had taken all of three minutes to figure out where _His Majesty_ had so unceremoniously deposited me. The filthy, circular, windowless walls and dirt floor could only belong to an oubliette. I nearly choked on the combined rage and panic that assaulted me upon my realization. I had never gotten over the claustrophobic tendencies that I was only now remembering had developed from my last dream…encounter…with this place.

"…_a little forgetting…"_ His smug voice flitted through my ears.

Damn him! I growled loudly in frustration and slammed my palms against the cobbled walls, though I was well aware that my outburst would do no good. I was here at his mercy, and I doubted very much that he'd be feeling merciful any time soon. Of all the dream memories I held of him, I'd never seen him so angry. Maybe, despite all my hopes, he really was as cruel as that book had claimed. Not that I didn't examine every nook and cranny looking for a hidden door just in case. I was practical; not stupid.

That had been hours ago, and if my cramped quarters weren't bad enough, his chosen form of entertainment had certainly begun to wear me down. After he had vanished, the crystal lamp he'd left behind had spun wildly and expanded until it resembled a supernatural moon. I'd approached it curiously – attracted by the beautiful swirling colors it emanated – before shrinking back reflexively. The globe floated higher and attached itself to the wall as if it were the Underground's equivalent of television. Unfortunately, it seemed to only have one channel, and I'd already seen the show many times.

The screen was filled with ethereal people bedecked in various fineries, their identities hidden behind grotesque portrayals of goblin faces. Except for the two figures dancing gracefully in the center. Their clothing was the same as always, so familiar that it hardly drew my attention anymore other than my usual acknowledgement of how painfully handsome he was. I was more focused on the emotions flashing across their faces. The girl looked utterly besotted, stunned in awed fascination at the powerful man who lead her through the unfamiliar dance. To the onlooker, it seemed she would melt into him if given the chance, despite her obvious fear.

It was an expression I knew well, for it was the one I had always carefully concealed when I stood before the impressive man. Only a dream – when I was in my most vulnerable state – could reveal my true feelings to the world.

His expression was also familiar, but just as equally confusing. He held the girl…me…with such reverence that it seemed as though he actually feared she would break in his arms. His eyes gazed upon her with intense longing, almost as if she was the one who held all the power over him.

Long ago, I had built my castle of fantasies on this one dream; that the king of the goblins could actually love. But, he had never uttered those words, and he had certainly never given me any sort of sincere proof that he looked at me as anything but a challenge to be won. Had he?

"_What are you playing at, Jareth? Why do you keep torturing me with what can never be?"_ I bent my legs to my chest and buried my face against me knees. The dream sequence that showed both my deepest wishes and my worst fears was too painful to watch. I felt sick from the savage turmoil he'd unlocked within me. Perhaps this was his chosen form of vengeance after all, and in that case, this must be real. My dream prince would never be so cruel.

I lifted my face as the light began to change. The sphere quickly closed in on itself until it disappeared altogether. A hole materialized in the wall, revealing a dark tunnel. My muscles instinctively tensed with anxiety.

"Oohf!" A garbled voice exclaimed as a small round body plummeted from the hole to the dirt floor.

"Hoggle!" I shot to my feet and threw my arms around the stunned dwarf at my knees. "You're really here!"

"Oh…yes…well…h-how are you, Sarah?"

I laughed sardonically. "I've been much better, actually." I grinned at my friend, stunned to see yet another manifestation from my dreams. He looked exactly the same. Even my old bead bracelet still adorned his wrist. "Oh Hoggle, I never thought I'd see you again!" I hugged him once more.

"Yeh…yeh mean, yeh still wish to be my friend?" He asked uncertainly.

"Of course I do. Why would you ask a question like that?"

"It's just, yeh never did call on me, or any of us. We just thought, well, that yeh didn't need us after all."

I felt small tears prick my eyes. "Of course I need you. I always have! I just didn't think you were real. I didn't think any of this was real," I finished quietly.

"That's what _he_ wuz afraid of…" his voice trailed off absent-mindedly. I regarded him curiously, but didn't press for any more information.

"Hoggle, can you show me how to get out of here?" I asked hopefully.

This granted me a genuine smile from him. He puffed his chest out with satisfaction. "His Royal Ratness sent me to retrieve yeh, actually," he proclaimed. His rasping voice echoed off the closely surrounding stone walls.

"And take me back to the beginning of the Labyrinth, I presume?" I retorted, my voice laced heavily with sarcasm.

"Oh, Sarah, I said I's sorry about that, and I am," he whined.

"I know, Hoggle. And I forgave you, remember? I was just poking fun."

"Hmph. I don't know how yeh can joke at a time like this. I ain't seen him this upset since…well, yeh know." He supplied while ushering me towards the hole in the wall.

"Yes, I really seem to bring out the best in him," I remarked wryly, as if I'd ever seen a good side to the arrogant Goblin King. "I must admit, I'm actually quite relieved to see you. I was worried that you might have gotten into some trouble for helping me the last time."

"Oh…uh, well…it ain't been _too_ bad. In fact, yeh could say I got me a sort of promotion. Yer lookin' at the newest Key Keeper!" He spread his arms proudly.

"Promoted? Hoggle that's wonderful…but surprising," I frowned a little in confusion, not to mention I had no idea what a Key Keeper was.

"Not too surprisin'. It was what yeh wanted after all, and yeh always were too kind to me." He produced a small light – a glass jar filled with glowing bugs...fairies? – and shone it into the darkness. I was able to make out a winding staircase just beyond the lip of the hole. With a bit of a struggle, I managed to wedge myself through the tight space and climbed the decrepit stairs as quickly as possible.

We emerged from another tall clay pot, or maybe it was the same one as the last time, inside the hedge maze. The unnatural sun of the Underground cast a strange orangish light over our surroundings, but I was never so glad to be out of the dark.

"Not this place again," I sighed. "I don't suppose there's a way to go through the Labyrinth in reverse, you know, make my way _home_ instead of to the castle?"

"Uh, no…the only ways to get home is through Jareth," he looked sad.

"_Not likely,"_ my inner voice groaned. "So, this is really real then? And you're alright, and so are the others?" I started walking forward, recognizing the jumble of bushes and white stones as if I'd strolled here merely yesterday. I was having a very hard time continuing to deny that this wasn't a dream, and probably never had been. _"If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck…"_

Hoggle's rough footsteps followed behind. His gravelly voice interrupted my thoughts, "D-don't worry, little lady. Jareth took real good care of all of us. Didymus got put back in the Royal Guard, and even Ludo got a new job; he takes care of the castle making sure the stones are alright. _He_ said it was what yeh wanted fer us." He shrugged and looked at me with uncertainness.

"_You can have everything that you want…"_ I swallowed thickly, pushing aside the increasingly unpleasant voice nagging inside my head. "So where _are_ you taking me then?"

"To the castle. But I was told to tell yeh to be ready for some 'humble pie'. Uh, yer supposed to know what that means?"

"Why, that bastard!"

Hoggle actually winced. "Keep yer voice down, words have a way of travelin' around here."

"Good! I hope he hears me!"

His shoulders drooped. "Uhm…don't be too hard on him, Sarah. H-he's not _that_ bad…"

I stopped walking and turned to appraise him disbelievingly. "You're certainly the last person I'd expect to hear defending him. What did he do, threaten you with the Bog of Eternal Stench?" I chuckled mirthlessly. Terrorizing me was one thing; he should know better than to mess with someone I cared about. "You know, just because he gave you some fancy position doesn't mean you have to kiss his ass."

He winced again. "_He_ didn' give me the job, not really. _You_ did, it's like I told yeh…" He continued mumbling incoherently under his breath. "But, he is the king, and I ain't dumb enough to curse 'im."

I was admittedly speechless. The Hoggle from my memory, though a bit nervous and skittish, was only too happy to offer his opinion about the Goblin King, if simply through tone and action rather than direct words.

"Hoggle, do you know why he left me in an oubliette? I mean, if he's so _wonderful_, why did he throw me in that wretched place?"

"Well…he, ah," he cleared his throat roughly.

"Hoggle…" I began again, my voice affecting an edge of warning.

"Oh alright! He won't like me tellin' yeh, but he was summoned. He didn' want yeh seein'…well, yeh know."

"Summoned," I repeated. "What do you…Oh. I see." My anger bubbled forth anew at the thought of another innocent person being forced to run the Labyrinth to save a loved one. I would've thought he'd have learned his lesson the last time. "Show me where, Hoggle." I spoke more calmly then I would've ever given myself credit for.

He actually squeaked. "I can't do that, Sarah! It'll be the Bog fer both of us if he finds out!"

"You're not scared are you Hoggle?" A twisted little smile settled on my face.

"Yes. Yes I am, and I ain't ashamed to admit it. You know I'm nuthin but a coward."

"Well, I'm not. And I'm not going to sit by and let another baby be turned into a goblin when there's something I can do about it. Let's go." I turned another corner without waiting for his reply.

* * *

A/N *comes out of nervous hiding* Okay…so Hoggle has arrived. I tried to emulate his pattern of speech as best as I could, but I hope you picked up that his character was purposely different. And wow, is Jareth pissed or what! So this scene actually goes on a little more, but this seemed like a good place to stop the chapter…for now. I swear, I've never had a muse bite so hard. I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it. If you are, please tell me! Am I on to something worthwhile here? Or should I stop…


	6. Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Disclaimer: The Labyrinth and all its characters are the wonderful creation of Jim Henson and Co. I own nothing (except my beloved DVD and some kick-ass pics of Jareth!!)

A/N: This chapter kind of ran away from me. I hope the changing POV's aren't too annoying, but this was the way the characters wanted to tell it. At this point, I'm still fleshing out characters and setting up plots. We get more Hoggle, some Didymus, and lots more S/J angst. I suppose I should warn you that while I am 100% a HEA kinda girl, I love long, slow-burn kind of journeys. Thanks to all who continue to read and review!! Longest chapter yet!

Chapter 5

Things Aren't Always What They Seem

**Sarah's POV**

We'd barely moved beyond the hedge portion of the Labyrinth when I saw her. Still wearing tank top pajamas and no shoes, she clearly did not belong to the Underground. The girl couldn't have been much older than I was when I'd visited before. She sat crumpled in a ball against a tree at the edge of the same forest where I'd encountered those horrible Fiery creature-things. Lines of tears were dried on her cheeks and her legs and bare feet were covered in bloody scratches. Apparently, her trial was not going well. My anger flared in sympathy. He could've at least allowed her to put on a damn pair of shoes!

I turned to warn Hoggle to approach carefully, but realized with annoyance that he had disappeared. He had a terrible habit of doing that. I sighed and faced back towards the terrified girl. "Hi, I'm Sarah…you look like you could use some help," I approached her cautiously with my palms open and flat.

She actually flinched away from me, not that I could blame her. "Get away from me!" She shrieked while scrubbing her hands over her bare arms like she was covered in ants or something.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you, I promise," my voice soothed.

"Have you come to laugh at me too?" She was nearly maniacal. She stood suddenly and offered me her wrists. "Here. Just get it over with. I can't take it anymore!" Wild sobs escaped her.

Just what the hell had he done to her? "You misunderstand me; I want to help, I know what you're going through. It'll be alright, we'll get the baby back, I promise."

"No! I don't want that horrible creature back, ever! I just want to go home. Why won't you let me go home?" Her frantic eyes implored me. She looked about two steps away from a complete mental breakdown. I knew the Labyrinth could be impossibly frustrating, but it hadn't ever made me look or feel like she apparently did.

"How long have you been in here?" My eyes scanned her form again. She was trembling and looked as though she might pass out at any second. I peeled the extra shirt I was wearing over my head and held it out to her, leaving me in a simple white tank top. Thank goodness it seemed to be summer in the Underground. She stared at me for several minutes before snatching it from my hand and putting it on.

"I don't know. He just dropped me at the gate and said I had thirteen hours or --"

"Or the baby became a goblin, right?" I finished.

Her entire expression changed. Now she seemed to be regarding me. "N-no, I don't care what happens to _it_, I just want to go home. He said he'd make _me_ a goblin if I didn't figure this out! I-I'm only eighteen, I have my whole l-life ahead of me, th-this can't be happening," she began to wail inconsolably again.

My reaction was torn in two different directions. "You don't want…wait, what? A goblin? But you're the wisher!" Something was not making any sense about this situation. Apparently my confusion was too much for the girl. She began inching her way further into the woods with the distinct impression that she was going to bolt the first chance she got. I reached out a hand, "No! Don't go that way! There're these things that will try to take your head…"

Just then, a flash of white fur tore past from an opening in the trees, followed closely by a tiny, but obviously very annoyed, fox creature in a blue hat, waving a red rapier furiously in the air. "Ambrosious, get back here! Some loyal steed you are!"

He stopped abruptly as he noticed he was not alone in the clearing, though his attention was entirely directed at the frantic girl before me. She shrieked again at the sight of him. If I wasn't so surprised, I'd have probably laughed. Ambrosious, the shaggy white dog, cowered between my legs as my old friend advanced on the girl with righteous indignation. "Ah, even in thy haste, thou cannot outrun Sir Didymus! I challenge thee to a duel, for none may pass without my permission!" His beady right eye flashed excitedly, the left obscured by an eye patch.

"Sir Didymus?" I asked in disbelief. Ambrosious whimpered softly and rubbed at his face with a paw.

The little knight's head jerked sharply at the sound of my voice. His entire posture changed. "My lady! What bringeth thou to this unfortunate scene?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but unfortunately, the girl chose that moment to start her high-pitched screaming again. She reached down and grabbed a smooth stone. Her hand reeled back in preparation to throw it, but the stone suddenly vanished.

"_Shit. This is _not_ going to be good."_ I didn't need to turn around to know who was standing behind me.

**Jareth's POV**

The throne room was nearly in chaos when I finally descended from my chambers. I knew the dwarf would take his time leading her back to the castle – he was too fond of her for his own good – but immediate preparations needed to be made nonetheless. The ornamentations needed to be stripped, the goblins briefed, as well as they could be, and the babe had to be dealt with. It was not even noon and this had already proven to be an excruciatingly trying day.

"Your Majesty, I believe I have located a suitable family for the human child," Aetia's soft voice greeted my presence.

I strode through the crowd of goblins, not caring that a few needed to be forcefully removed from my path, and sank into my throne. "That is excellent news, Aetia. How soon will they be ready to receive him?"

She frowned slightly, turning her face to the bundle in her arms. "Not until the dusk, Sire. Though, you needn't worry; I will care for the babe until then."

I smiled tenderly. Aetia had been the only blessing in my six years of waiting. Her everlasting patience and goodwill had been the necessary balance to my anxious brooding. "I could always summon Raelle," I spoke off-handedly.

Aetia grinned impishly. "I'm sure she is quite distracted at the moment, Your Majesty."

I chuckled and flashed my own grin, thankful for these few moments reprieve from the disaster surrounding me. Naturally, the peace could not last.

The door to the throne room crashed open with a resounding bang. A half-dozen chickens squawked in outrage sending a cascade of feathers into the air and a whirlwind of goblins chasing after them. My eyes narrowed at the panicky creature standing before me.

"Well, if it isn't you. What's wrong Higgson?"

"It's Hoggle," he mumbled, wringing his hands back and forth. "Pardon me, yer Majesty…but, I think we's got a problem."

"Oh? And what might that be? Hmm? Don't tell me you've lost the girl." I turned my wrist to gaze into a crystal.

"Uh…er, well, no. But she's sort of found sumthin' she wasn't s'posed to..."

I cut him off as I viewed Sarah standing over the wretched mother in the Labyrinth.

My glare was nearly murderous as I turned my attention back to the dwarf in front of me. Remembering how fond Sarah was of him, it took all of my self-control to stay seated as I spoke, "I gave you one simple directive; return the girl to me, unseen, by the quickest route possible. And what do you do? I warned you last time that I would not be so forgiving if you were to defy me again, Hogsbreath. I'm not sure even Sarah can save you this time."

"I….I t-tried to talk her out of it! I swear I did! He tripped over his own feet as he shuffled away from me.

I grabbed the dwarf around the collar and transported us both to the edge of the Dark Forest. The scene awaiting us might have been comical if not for the possible implications which could result from it. Sarah stood several paces in front of me, her legs and arms bare to the point of distraction. A large mutt cringed between her ankles. Beyond them, the wisher was facing down one of my smallest guards. Snarling, he held a rapier pointed in her direction with all the might he could probably muster. She in turn, held a large pebble in her palm, clearly readying her own attack.

With a silent missive, the stone disappeared. I noticed sadly that Sarah's back stiffened before she turned slowly to face me.

"It's about time you showed your face again!" She snapped.

"Ah precious, I have missed you too," I teased, though I felt certain she'd be able to tell my heart wasn't in it.

Sarah's eyes moved over my figure, eliciting a rather pleasant burn throughout me, before settling on the dwarf crouching at my knee. "So that's where you disappeared to. I'm really quite disappointed in you, Hoggle."

The dwarf groaned pitifully.

"Your Highness," the fox knight bowed dramatically with a sweep of his hat. "I found this human girl attempting to cross through the Dark Forest without Thee's permission. Naturally, I thought it best to detain her after such a violation."

"You can't be serious…" Sarah's voice held acidic amounts of exasperation. I lifted my gaze to see her rolling her eyes.

"Does the display of proper respect distress you so, Sarah?"

"What have you done to them? It's like they're brain-washed or--"

Her words were cut short by the war-cry of the hedonistic girl behind her. With a shriek that could challenge a Banshee, she darted across the open space, hands raised in front of her, with the obvious intent to strike me. I simply side-stepped her advance and opened a portal for her to fall into.

Stunned silence rang through the glade. I watched cautiously as Sarah looked back and forth from where the girl had stood to the empty space by my heels. Slowly, her eyes found mine. I wanted to shrink from the accusations flooding them.

"Where did she go?" She asked with frightening calmness.

"To the beginning of the Labyrinth. She clearly has not learned her lesson."

"You'll condemn her simply for daring to stand up to you?" She snorted. "Yeah, I guess you aren't taking any chances with that anymore."

With the flash of a crystal, I froze time. The wide-eyed surprise of the insolent dwarf and the effervescent posturing of the knight and his steed stilled unnaturally. Sarah gasped in shock, before narrowing her eyes with outrage. My own anger had bubbled to the surface so swiftly that stars flashed in my vision. I closed the distance between us and grabbed her flush against me. "You know nothing of what you speak!" I hissed.

"Get your hands off me!" She spat.

She lifted her palms and pushed roughly against my chest. I let her step back a few paces before grasping her wrists between my palms. "Careful, Sarah. I have warned you that I can be cruel."

"So I've noticed!" Tears were beginning to shine in her jade-like eyes. Her gaze challenged mine before she turned her head away. An enormity of emotions hung between us, but neither of us spoke. The anger softened, and twisted into a tension entirely different. I was suddenly very aware of the softness of her flesh beneath my fingers and the heated flush spreading over her porcelain cheeks. Carefully, I released her arms and turned away.

When she spoke again, her voice had returned to a careful, logical tone; "You have to stop this. You have to send her home. She may have wished for horrible things, but she got her punishment. She might not realize it now, but one day she'll have to live with the choice that she made and it will eat her alive with guilt."

How very wrong she was. Could she _still_ not realize how quickly memories of the Underground faded once mortals returned to their non-magical existence?

"You judge me so harshly for my supposed crime without knowing the situation?" I implored her sense of fairness. Despite the charm of her childhood fantasies, I was _not_ willing to be portrayed as the villain without due cause.

"Don't I? I seem to recall making a stupid mistake like this once myself. But at least I was given a chance to fix my error."

"Tell me then, my dear Sarah, what would you have had me do? Hmm? A young mother - so incompetent and resentful in her duties as a parent that she couldn't be bothered to feed or groom her child, nearly killing it in the process - screams her hatred for the boy and happily offers it away to become a goblin so that she can go back to her life of mindless fun?" I stepped closer to her. "What would _you_ have done?" I repeated softly.

She swallowed thickly and a mix of doubt and disgust crossed her expression. "I don't know."

"You don't know? Come, come, come, Sarah. You can do better than that." I drawled.

"She's so young…"

"And that excuses her actions? Or is it that you refuse to see me as anything but a monster."

She opened her mouth to protest, but closed it before any words released. Her eyes drifted to the ground. I stepped closer and raised her chin with the palm of my hand. To my surprise, she didn't automatically cringe away, though a quiet defiance blazed in her jeweled eyes. "I assure you, precious. The babe will be well cared for. Children are treasured in the Underground."

"And the mother?"

"She has been given a fair chance, Sarah. Even more so than your own trip through the Labyrinth. The laws of the universe command that she answer for her misdeeds. Her fate is now within her own hands."

"She's never going to make it. You know that."

"And perhaps that is how it should be," I whispered.

"How can you be so cold?"

I caught myself before I could flinch at the sudden remoteness in her eyes. She really meant what she said, and the result was like a rush of ice through the hole in my soul. I swallowed thickly.

"I take my leave, now," I bowed low, though my eyes never left hers. "I imagine you'd prefer the company of your friends now to my own. You already know the way," I turned quickly, intending to vanish, but her voice stopped me.

"Wait!"

**Sarah's POV**

"Wait!" I blurted almost a moment too late. His back had already turned and I could see the crystal forming in his hand. He angled back towards me so slowly it seemed exaggerated. "Send me back home…please." For once, I didn't even care about the pathetic tone of my voice as I begged.

"I can't."

"Can't, or won't?"

He merely smirked at me, though it only seemed half-hearted.

I sighed loudly. "What the hell am I even doing here, Goblin King? You say I lost to the Labyrinth, yet my brother was returned and you let me go home for six years. You say you don't want to be cruel, but then you throw me in an oubliette and fight with me every chance you get. I think I've made my own feelings pretty clear, and I just don't understand why you're even bothering with me!"

"I don't think you're quite ready to discuss why you are really here, Sarah," his eyes darkened, but not in anger. "Just know that I couldn't send you back even if I wanted to, so you may as well make the best of it."

"What exactly am I supposed to do with myself?"

"For now, consider yourself my guest. Would it be so terrible for us to get to know each other better? We hardly met on the best of terms."

"I already know all I care to know about you."

"Things are not always as they seem, Sarah," he sighed. He suddenly looked as weary as he had on our last parting. I wanted to continue questioning him, but he raised a slender hand in objection. "I must check on the babe. I will see you at dinner. I hope by then, you are willing to look beyond your own preconceived notions to form a true opinion."

He vanished before I had a chance to respond. As soon as he was gone, Sir Didymus, Ambrosious and Hoggle reanimated so suddenly that they fell to the ground.

"Sarah!" "My lady!" They cried in unison. I helped them to their respective feet and tried to put on a brave face, but my insides were churning with emotional overload. I think if I'd been on my own I might have just huddled down and cried. What did he want from me? What did I really want from him? Nothing was making any sense anymore. And then he just poofs away as usual, leaving me with more questions than answers. Well not this time!

"I need to get to the castle. Right now," I demanded. Hoggle and Didymus looked between themselves as if a silent conversation was passing between their eyes.

"Eh, are yeh sure about that, Sarah? Seems like His Royal Ratness could use some time to calm down, unless sumthin' changed when he messed with time like that," Hoggle's voice warbled more than usual with his nervousness.

"I don't really give a rat's ass what he wants. Just point me in the right direction."

Sir Didymus cleared his throat. "Of course, my lady. It would be my deepest honor to escort thee to the castle post haste," he bowed as respectfully to me as he had to the Goblin King. "Ambrosious, come!"

An hour later, I stood glaring upon a sight that six years ago I would've never believed I'd see again. The Goblin Castle was as massive and threatening as its name implied. In my rush to beat the clock, I hadn't really taken the time to appreciate it. The solid stone structure rose from the center of the Goblin City like the peak of a mountain. The jagged walls gleamed in warm tones of gold and brown with frequent window slits. A lone turret emerged from the south side with a large balcony. I tried to calm the rush of my pulse at the thought of whose room that likely was.

I shook my head and closed my eyes, willing my strength to return to me, or at the very least my acting skills. I was emotionally and physically drained despite the relatively early hour, and a lot of my heated energy and determination for answers had faded during the long walk. Our final stretch of the Labyrinth had been a silent affair. I just didn't know what to think of my companions. They both seemed pleased to see me, but their loyalties were not clear. To be fair, I had only known them for a short time, while they had likely been subjects of the king for ages. But that didn't mean their actions were any less hurtful. I felt so out of place. More and more of my previous visit had been coming back to me, but I was finding the memories to be false. Either that or everything I thought to be true had changed, or had really just been a mystery all along.

"Yer sure about this? Yeh could always come stay with me, at least for tonight," Hoggle offered.

I smiled softly. "Thank-you Hoggle, but no. I still don't know why I'm back in the Underground, but something tells me I need to be here at the castle to find out."

I eyed him suspiciously as he began wringing his hands in front of his waist. "Well, then, should you need us…"

"Yes, should you need us…" Sir Didymus echoed.

"I'll call. I promise." I bent and kissed both of them on the cheek before ruffling Ambrosious' fur. I laughed when I saw Hoggle brace himself before cracking open one eye to verify that he was still in the city, and not the Bog of Eternal Stench.

I watched them depart before turning back towards the massive doors in front of me. With a deep, cleansing breath, I pushed the solid wood doors open and retraced my long ago steps to the throne room.

My eyes nearly fell out of my head at the sight before me. Goblins of all shapes and sizes were jumping and stamping along with the rhythm of a sort of rock anthem all throughout the room. And in the center, stood his majesty, playfully tossing a baby in the air while singing about some sort of dance magic.

I froze as I began recognizing the lyrics: "_What kind of magic spell to use…Dance magic dance. Dance magic dance."_

Ever since he'd been old enough to utter his first words, Toby had hummed this same song throughout the house. I'd always thought it was some little tune he'd come up with himself. Had he actually learned it from the Goblin King himself? Why? How? He wasn't supposed to be nice.

I felt very conflicted. Clearly he still had possession over the abducted baby, but rather than locking it up in some goblin pen, as I'd always imagined he did despite what he said earlier, he was playing with it, comforting it. The baby was smiling and giggling with pure delight.

And Jareth was…_smiling_ too. His already impossibly handsome face seemed to radiate pure magic with the expression. His beautiful eyes were filled with light and laughter as he gazed at the child. He looked somehow younger, and all the more entrancing. The air rushed out of my lungs at the intense pull which suddenly materialized within me. My feet moved a step forward of their own accord before I stopped myself. Before anyone noticed my presence, I dashed back into the corridor and braced myself against a wall. My chest felt like it was on fire. What the hell was wrong with me?

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A/N: Reviews are lovely and welcomed


	7. The Divination of Character

Disclaimer: The Labyrinth and its characters do not belong to me, and I make no profit (other than my own entertainment) from this story.

A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews on the last chapter! That truly made my day. I admit to being a bit self-concious, especially when I read such amazing stories by others. I know I write first for myself, but it is encouraging to hear others enjoy it too. This chapter brings the truth of what Jareth has been hinting at all along. Also, Sarah is forced to realize there may be more than meets the eye. Remember, this is a slow-burn story, but I hope that allows us to really feel what the characters are feeling, as well as develop the world of the Underground.

Chapter 6

The Divination of Character

**Sarah's POV**

"Lady Sarah, I presume?" A soft voice called from behind my shoulder. I turned warily – one could only hazard a guess as to who or what might be lurking around this place– and came face to face with the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She was tall and willowy, like _him_, with hair the color of sun-kissed hay cascading in straight, shiny rivers well past her shoulders. Her eyes were orbs of drowning black rimmed slightly in a blue that made me think of the Caribbean, but despite their intensity, pure goodness radiated from them. Her features were fine and angular, and she had the same dusting of glitter across her lids as _he_ did. Clearly, whatever he was, she was one too.

"I am Aetia. His Majesty told me to be on the lookout for you," she smiled tenderly. While it was very welcoming, and I instantly wanted to trust her, a sudden surge of jealousy flared through me so acutely that I had to force myself not to run into the throne room and...yeah, I was so not going to finish that thought. But, who exactly was she, and what exactly was her relationship to _His Majesty_?

"Did he?" I managed to speak in a rather clipped tone.

A hidden understanding seemed to dawn in her eyes. Her smile brightened, which certainly did not win her any points with me, before she spoke again; "Forgive me for not introducing myself properly. I am His Majesty's housekeeper. As he has no queen, yet, I manage the affairs of the castle."

Housekeeper. Oh.

I softened immediately, while mentally berating myself for my presumptions. Though, I supposed I should've been wondering about my own irrational reactions. I mean, what did I care if he did have a girlfriend or whatever? It shouldn't have mattered even if she had introduced herself as the Goblin Queen!

I did not want to dwell upon the fact that it did matter, and that I got a smug sense of satisfaction from the knowledge that Jareth was still flying solo.

She tilted her head to the side minutely and studied me carefully. I realized I had yet to really say anything, and was in fact still leaning quite breathlessly against the wall outside the throne room. Her eyes drifted past me to the open door, where the happy ruckus could still be heard, before she smiled again. "You must be exhausted. I'm sure His Majesty would want you to rest and replenish your spirit before your evening meal together. If you care to follow me, I can show you to your chamber?" She left it as a question. I realized I had two options: follow this obscenely beautiful, kind stranger, or go back and deal with a side of the Goblin King I didn't really want to recognize for the new heaps of confusion it brought.

I chose door number one. Wordlessly, she led me through several winding passages that seemed to go in circles before stopping in front of a plain, wooden door. From the appearance of it, I was expecting the room to be little more than a servant's quarters, but, as with everything I'd encountered in the Labyrinth, looks could be deceiving.

The chamber was, in short, decadent. Larger than two of my new studio apartments combined, it housed a king-sized canopy bed dressed in pale blue satin sheets, a cream upholstered seating arrangement in front of a large white marble hearth, and matching marble arches framing an open balcony. Gauzy curtains in a complimentary sea green billowed lightly from the breeze of the open space, carrying in the scent of jasmine I'd always attributed to Jareth, I mean, _him_. I felt as though I was standing on a cloud gazing out over an exotic sea.

I was quite literally speechless. My hands concealed my soft gasp of astonishment as I turned slowly in the room. "Do you like it, my lady?" Aetia's gentle voice broke my dazed spell.

"Like it? Oh, it's wonderful. Is this really meant for me?"

"It is the guest chamber. Though, it has not been re-decorated in some time. If you prefer a change in theme, perhaps more saturated tones, I am sure it can be arranged."

"It's quite lovely as it is," I spoke quickly. It was true I usually preferred deeper jewel tones, but there was something so tranquil and inviting about this space that I didn't want to change a thing. If I really was doomed to be a prisoner in the Labyrinth, then I would need this sanctuary.

"Is this the balcony you can see from the Goblin City?" I inquired as I walked closer to observe the view. I realized as she was talking that it couldn't be, for the city was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a grassy meadow with a gleaming pond expanded beyond the castle walls.

"No. That is His Majesty's chamber, across the hall. You have the northern balcony. It is quite lovely in the morning, as it offers a splendid view of the sunrise…"

I was dimly aware that she had continued speaking, but my mind had stopped listening at "across the hall." No way in hell was I sleeping a stone's throw from _him_.

Apparently my discomfort was not contained to my thoughts. Aetia crossed to me and took my hand between her own. It was an odd gesture for someone I considered a stranger to make, and yet I felt some of my anxiety ease away at the touch of her warm palms. Perhaps this was her brand of magic? "My lady, I know it is not my place to say so, but you look so ill at ease…I hope you will permit me this one transgression," she paused and searched my expression.

Her behavior was so different from anyone I knew. She spoke to me so formally and with such a state of consideration that I had no idea how to conduct myself. I was curious as to what she found so inappropriate that she had to ask my permission to even say it. I had no idea why she thought I was so special, or why someone as beautiful and charming as she was would ever be a servant. All I could do was nod for her continue.

She released a breath and her sweet smile reappeared. "You needn't worry about His Majesty. I do not believe he would ever take any liberties with your person. I imagine you've had little cause to see it yet, but he really is a true gentleman." Her voice was nearly affectionate when she mentioned the Goblin King making that uncomfortable feeling I'd been experiencing about him all day twist in my stomach again. Where Sir Didymus and Hoggle had certainly been respectful in his presence, they were not quite as praising behind his back as this friendly woman was. I suspected she had never uttered an unkind word in her life, and she seemed to have quite a positive opinion about her monarch. I realized I was faced with a golden opportunity to further explore the 'other' side of Jareth without having to directly involve him.

"You've known him for awhile, haven't you?" I began cautiously.

Her eyes softened and adapted a dream-like quality. The irrational jealousy shifted inside me again. _"Dear Lord, she loves him! I knew it!" _I swallowed roughly in my suddenly dry throat.

"Yes, a long while."

"And…and you like working for him?" I ignored the fact that my voice had become quiet and strained.

"Very much." She lifted one of her hands and patted my cheek. In that moment, I felt every bit as young as my twenty-two years allowed. Though she herself looked barely older than thirty, it was suddenly very obvious that I was speaking to someone not human, who was _a lot_ older than I could probably even guess at. I'd had this feeling only one time before; twirling around a ballroom in the arms of an inhumanly beautiful man. _"Just who, or what, are these people?"_ I wondered silently. I wasn't sure I really wanted to know.

"I'll draw you a bath, and then you can rest until the evening meal. You'll find fresh garments in the wardrobe. When you are ready, simply speak the words 'banquet hall' into this crystal and it will take you there." She pressed a familiar orb into my hand and I tried not to grimace. Crystals and I had yet to become comfortable acquaintances let alone friends. I held it with revulsion while watching her slide aside an ornamental screen to reveal a claw foot tub which would easily seat three or four people. She stood over the tub and simply said 'fill' before adding a scoop of some kind of fine, lilac colored powder.

"If you require any other assistance, just wish to see me, and I shall appear. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Your…my lady," her cheeks flushed as if she'd made some kind of blunder. She hastily began moving towards the door. "If you'll excuse me, I am to see to the babe."

The babe. Right. Somewhere below me in this castle was an innocent child. Sure, it certainly appeared like it was being treated alright for the moment, but what if it was all an act? Maybe _he_ even knew that I was standing there.

"Aetia," I hesitated, trying to decide if I really wanted to know the truth or not. If he turned them into goblins, I was pretty sure nothing could ever change my opinion of him, and I doubted I'd be able to stomach staying in the castle for another second. But if he didn't, would I be forced to examine his character further? See him as something more than the cruel Goblin King? In a way, it was much safer to view him as the quintessential villain, because then he couldn't disappoint me, and he couldn't complicate my feelings anymore than he already did. Even as I viewed him now, my heart was already invested in him more than it should be. Would I be able to stand it if he wasn't as bad as I thought? But, I had to know. I was curious to a fault. I sighed before gathering my courage. "What does he do with the children?"

Her strange bout of nerves disappeared in an instant and her entire face beamed. She looked…proud? "They are given to loving families who cannot conceive on their own. You see, it is very difficult for our kind to bear children."

"Goblin families, right?" I clarified, though at this point I pretty much knew I was grasping at straws.

She laughed; a beautiful and musical sound. "No. None of the children are actually turned into goblins. That is just part of a story, my lady." She grinned softly before exiting through the chamber door.

Damn. Things were becoming much more complicated indeed.

**Jareth's POV**

I glanced at the clock above my desk for the fifth time in as many minutes and drummed my fingertips restlessly against the aged hardwood. The sharp staccato noise of the action perfectly represented my mood. _She_ held me on an anxious edge and I didn't care for it one bit. I knew she was in the castle, just down the hall in point of fact, but I would not seek her out before our appointed time.

Aetia had graciously settled her in the adjoining suite to my own before returning to the throne room and taking charge of the babe's preparation for his new family. Even now I could imagine my lovely Sarah naked and wet in the enormous guest bath. It was all I could do not to accidentally walk in on her, though I knew that would go over as well as an accidental dunking in the Bog.

While I was glad she seemed to approve of her accommodations, I was disheartened that she would not be staying in the room I had so recently prepared for us to share. After six years of waiting for a promise to be fulfilled, I held very different expectations of what this first day and night of our reunion should've entailed, and I was not used to dealing with disappointment. It was nearly enough to entice me to use that irritating expression she used to be so fond of.

I thought back to our encounter in the woods. How stunning she had looked in her sleeveless blouse and short pants. Her inches of creamy skin glowed faintly in the filtered sunlight, and her cheeks were flushed with her righteous indignation. When she mocked me, I wanted nothing more than to push her against the nearest tree and show her just who was in charge in the Underground, and who she once upon a time willingly pledged herself to. Her continued defiance and derision was a knife to my heart. Could her feelings have changed so radically?

I leaned back in the chair and pushed my hands through my hair roughly. Words long ago spoken echoed sardonically in my memories:

"_You wish to take a human bride?" His wizened brow arched contemptuously. "You do realize the sacrifice that would require?"_

"_Yes, yes. I will give up part of my magic to tie her to the Underground."_

"_She could never leave -"_

"_Or it will kill me. I remember the lesson, father."_

_He looked grave. "So you have not bonded yet?"_

_I was silent for a long pause, remembering the promises exchanged between my beloved and I. "No. She requested more time. In her world, she is yet considered a child."_

_The frown of the High King of the Underworld deepened. For all his dissatisfaction with my declaration, it troubled him to see my sadness. "She cannot remain without the bond. She is mortal, Jareth, and her memories will fade. What if you find her changed? This is a serious chance for you to take, my son. Is she worth it?"_

_I nodded solemnly, though in truth his concern was moot. Sarah had already been returned with her brother immediately after she accepted all I had to offer. I had to trust that the strength of our love would last beyond our time apart. Then, when she was ready, I would give her a piece of my soul, my magic, to anchor her back in her rightful home._

"_You know why I came to you, father. I don't need your permission to wed, but I do need your approval of my choice for the next Goblin Queen. As you pointed out, Sarah is mortal -"_

"_Ah, now I understand. You wish for her to take the elixir?" He interrupted. A gloating smirk settled over his expression. "Quite right. No terminal monarch may be appointed. Oh, what a fine mess you have placed yourself in this time, Jareth." _

_I watched suspiciously as he pieced together my true intent and the wheels began turning in his ancient mind. _

"_Immortality is too large a gift simply to be given without gainful cause. Love is not motivation enough, even with a bond at stake. The law is the law. As your father, it pains me to place you in such a precarious position, but as your king, I am left with little choice," his dark eyes hardened, though a flicker of regret flashed across his face. "Bond with the girl if you must, but understand that she may not become queen until she is immortal. She must prove her worth to our race. Her price for the elixir shall be an heir. I do hope you don't live to regret this, my son. Think carefully before you give of yourself. Be sure, for there is no turning back."_

I had not seen my father, or any of the court for that matter, since that day. At the time, I had been upset by his assumptions that my Sarah would not keep her word, and had stayed away out of pride. Now, however, though it greatly pained me to admit it, I feared he might have been right.

I had been so sure! Though her memories had faded, I still starred in her dreams. Surely I must still hold a place in her heart? Then there was the evidence that none other captivated her attention. Raelle had even commented that Sarah seemed to pine away for something she didn't believe she could have, as if deep down she knew all along that she had already promised herself to me.

She defeated my Labyrinth, but she did not defeat me. Not unless she refused to remember. Then I would fade away just as surely as she would.

I shoved away from my desk angrily and paced the confines of the study. Her presence called to me as strongly as a magnet. The hole within me cried out to be with her at every moment. Though I had read extensively about bonding, I had no way of knowing what it would actually feel like until I had done it. To my knowledge, none other of my kind had ever taken this endeavor without the immediate return of the bond, and I could understand why. To exist in this state of unrequited agony for even a mortal lifetime would be enough to push me to insanity.

A soft chiming sound alerted me to the message before I actually saw the crystal materialize on my desk. I regarded the red globe with guarded trepidation as it flattened instantaneously into an opaque sort of parchment. Familiar elegant lines of script floated over the surface in glowing tones of silver:

_It has come to our attention that the Betrothed has at last returned to your side. As per our agreement, you may proceed with the coronation only after indications of an heir are apparent. A representative of the court will be visiting soon to report on your situation. The Betrothed has three months to prove her fertility or immortality will be denied her indelibly._

_Best, _

_King Aereth and Queen Acacia._

The paper crumpled in my fist before disintegrating in a burst of red cinders. She had been in the Underground for less than a human day, and already the court was aware of her presence. Had it been my own errant thoughts which precipitated their immediate attention?

The most distressing part of the missive had been the reminder of the timeline. When I agreed to _His Majesty's_ condition, I had believed Sarah and I would fall happily into each others' arms. Therefore, the limitation had not seemed to be a cause for concern. Humans were exponentially more fertile than our kind. As it was though, three months would be an impossibility unless I were to become the very blackest kind of villain and take from her what she may never be willing to give. Would it be worth it to keep her forever? Would she ever be able to forgive me?

I sunk back into my chair with a heavy heart. Every choice presented to us seemed riddled with conditions. I knew in the deepest part of my selfish soul that if need be, I would do whatever was necessary to keep her. I truly could not live without her. But perhaps it would not have to come to that. Regardless of her anger and brave display of apathy, she must still feel something for me otherwise my magic would not recognize her. I could feel it in her brief touches, and see it hiding behind the rage in her eyes. Now I just needed to figure out how to make her see it too.

"_What will it take to tempt you again, my precious thing?"_ I mused aloud. Seduction? Intimidation? Flattery? A combination of all three?

My eyes strayed to the clock again and widened with a mix of excitement and apprehension as I realized my reminiscing and ruminating had withered away the better part of two hours. I quickly altered my clothing in favor of a loose fitting tunic and snug leather breeches before transporting myself to the banquet room.

To my delight, Sarah had already arrived and was gazing absent-mindedly out a small window beyond the table. She looked ravishing. In a flowing crimson gown with a black leather corset, it was all I could do not to rush to her side and take her in my arms.

"Good evening, precious. I trust you had a relaxing afternoon?" I concentrated to keep my usual arrogant tone, lest she become suspicious.

"Yes, the room is quite lovely, th-thank you." Her beautiful green eyes flickered nervously.

Her timidity was the absolute last thing I was expecting after our rather heated showdown in the Dark Forest. I wondered what had happened to cause such a change in her demeanor. "And your friends? Did you enjoy your reunion with them?" I stepped closer to her and smirked, despite the streak of jealousy pulsating through my entire being. The only reunion that should've been taking place that day was one between us!

"I find them much changed, actually,"

I stopped short, my head quirking to the side with genuine surprise. "Well, it has been a long time, and you were here for such a short while before…"

"Yes, I'm realizing a lot of things are different than I remembered…" she mumbled, likely unaware that I captured every word.

I offered her my arm, and to my confused but happy delight, she wrapped her delicate fingers around it and allowed me to escort her to the table.

"Where is everyone?" She asked quietly. I took note that although her posture was stiff and straight, a fine trembling radiated through her. I smiled to myself. Perhaps it would not be as difficult to win her back as I thought.

"None dine with the king."

"Oh," she replied softly. I could actually hear her swallow.

"Do I make you nervous, Sarah?" I whispered in her ear while assisting her with her chair. I let my hands brush carelessly against the nape of her exposed neck, before situating myself in the chair beside her.

"Don't be ridiculous," she replied sharply, though I watched with deep satisfaction as a tell-tale blush spread over her skin.

Deciding to be generous and offer her a reprieve from the suddenly tense atmosphere, I motioned to the food before us. "I do hope you will find something to your liking. I suppose it is quite different from the food you are used to."

Her expressive eyes refused to leave my face. Her quiet but intense scrutiny systematically began stripping me of my courage. I was not ready for her to know the depth of my feelings, not when she guarded her own so cruelly. On the pretense of hunger, I turned from her and began picking at the food Aetia had prepared for us. _"Look upon me if you must, my Sarah, but judge me only with kind eyes."_

Perhaps it would be honesty – the hardest game of all – that would win her in the end.

* * *

A/N: This is actually only half of the dining room scene. I'll post the rest very soon. Please let me know if you are enjoying this:)


	8. A Brief Lesson in History

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sadly not mine, though I do so love to play within it.

A/N: My sincerest gratitude to those who are reviewing, favoriting, and setting alerts. The support really helps me stay motivated, but also, your thoughts help me fine tune my ideas. I really, really appreciate you all!! So, Sarah's POV here was actually the first scene I wrote for this fic. Jareth's part gave me a little more trouble despite its brevity, but I'm sure you can tell where his thoughts are (which is probably my issue…such an outwardly modest gal I am LOL). Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 7

A Brief Lesson in History

**Sarah's POV**

"Do I make you nervous, Sarah?" He inquired with that irritatingly haughty tone of his.

I shook my head and denied it, though I had no control over the blush that saw fit to expose me. How could someone be so wickedly beautiful?

He smirked before commenting about the food. I watched with the slightest annoyance as he tucked into his own plate. Apparently, he was not nearly as affected by our awkward situation as I was. I could scarcely concentrate on breathing, let alone eating, with the thoughts and questions stampeding through my brain, but I let my irritation go.

The silence in the room was deafening. After the events of today, I found I could not rouse my indignation to pick yet another fight. I was finally allowing myself to accept there may be more to this Goblin King than I had ever given him credit for. With a shock of surprise, I realized I _wanted_ to know more.

Sometime between leaving the forest glade and succumbing to my pre-dinner bath, I'd managed to release some of my anger towards Jareth to the point that I could at least think his name again, if not say it out loud. Or perhaps, the mounting confusion concerning his character had simply shoved the anger aside to be dealt with later. That was probably more likely.

When Hoggle defended the king I thought it had only been out of fear of punishment, but Didymus had been just as complementary. Jareth had even gone so far as to look past their previous betrayal and give them places of honor in his city. Why? Hoggle seemed to think it was because I had wanted good things to come to them. But why would Jareth care what I wanted? And even if he had been sincere when he promised to give me my desires, had I really expected him to keep his word?

Then I saw him with the child. I'd been furious at his cold treatment of the mother, but as my wrath faded I could see that while he may have treated her coldly, he was only being practical. Even in my wildest fantasies, I had never imagined he would be such a kid person.

Aetia was the final mystery in my pile. It was clear she held a great deal of admiration for Jareth, but in what exact capacity? She had been the loudest voice in a surprisingly long line of cheerleaders on the king's behalf. She spoke of their 'kind' in such a gentle, reverant way that I felt almost bad about ever criminalizing him. He was more an enigma to me now than ever.

I let myself really look at him for the first time, taking in his wild but completely fitting blonde locks and the ethereal face which they crowned. His features were sharp and defined, with high cheekbones and the straightest nose I'd ever seen, and yet he was impossibly beautiful; unique. While somewhat thin, his lips were incredibly seducing. They were the color of a fine blush wine and I somehow knew they would be as soft as rose petals. I watched mesmerized as he took another bite of his meal, yet another irrational swell of jealousy filling me at the sight of those lips wrapping around his fork. _"You are so pathetic, Sarah!"_

Sensing my rapt attention, no doubt, he turned his eyes upon me. Oh god, his eyes. How they had haunted me all these years. His brows slanted upwards from his eyes rather than towards them, adding to the surety that one would notice his eyes, as if they could ever not. While both were an icy blue like a winter sky, one pupil was normal and the other was not. They reminded me of a yin and yang. The larger pupil nearly bled into the color, making his left eye appear hazel. It was as if his dual nature was there on display for all to see, and it completely suited him.

"See something you like?" He drawled.

"What are you?" I whispered without thinking.

His teasing expression hardened slightly with suspicion. He set down his utensil and dabbed at the corner of his mouth before pushing his chair back and rising, a dismissing sweep of his gloved hand motioning to the full plate before me. "You need to eat. Aetia will be along to escort you back to your quarters within the half hour."

My hand shot out to stop him as he turned to leave. It was the first time I had willingly touched him, we both realized with a shock. "Jareth, wait!"

He regarded me seriously. "What are you playing at, Sarah? Do not think I am some fascination to be used for your entertainment."

It was surprisingly difficult to find my voice. "I-I just figured that since I am forced to stay here, we should know more about each other, like you suggested."

"Ah, but you've already assigned my character so thoroughly, dear Sarah. I am the Goblin King. Cold, arrogant, and cruel; am I not?"

"What if I was wrong," I said quietly. A lump of discomfort formed in my throat at the intensity simmering in his eyes, the emotion of which I could not determine.

He turned fully back towards me, his gaze never leaving mine. My heart thundered nervously in my chest as he stepped closer. One gloved hand rested on the chair behind my shoulder as he leaned his face within inches of my own. His trademark smirk settled on his lips. I swallowed thickly.

"You were wrong?" He repeated with amusement while raising one of his strangely sculpted brows.

He was too close.

I cleared my throat and dropped my eyes to the table. "You're clearly not a goblin, but you aren't exactly human either, are you?"

"Ah, clever girl."

"Well?" I challenged, my natural defiance prickling along my spine.

"Well what?"

"So what are you?"

"I am Fae," he replied simply.

"You're a…a..fairy?" I looked at him with disbelief. I'd seen fairies before when Hoggle was trying to exterminate some near the Labyrinth's walls, and they hadn't looked anything like Jareth.

"Please don't insult me." He snorted. "Fairies are irritating little leeches."

"Sounds about right to me," I mumbled automatically.

"And it always comes to this, doesn't it?" He sighed wearily before straightening his body.

"Sorry. Old habits die hard. Please go on, I really am curious."

"You're always curious." His eyes narrowed, likely trying to gauge my sincerity. He settled back into his own chair. "Eat." He nodded towards my plate once more.

I picked up my fork and speared something resembling a carrot half-heartedly as he spoke hesitantly. "Fae and fairies are related, much like your own kind and apes. Perhaps you can understand why confusing the two would be insulting?" He paused, smirking once more. "The Fae are an ancient race that once ruled mankind, before the advent of science forced us to find a new realm for ourselves."

"There are more of you then?" I asked, my mind going immediately to a certain ballroom littered with tall figures wearing distorted goblin masks.

"Really, Sarah; I'd like to think I am one of a kind," he spoke lazily as a playful heat danced in his eyes.

My cheeks colored. "You know what I mean."

His lips parted with a small, satisfied grin. "Yes, there are many Fae. Just as there are goblins, elves, dwarves, unicorns, dragons, sprites, mermaids, et cetera, et cetera." He motioned absently with his hand as if the topic was self-explanatory.

"Just how big is the Underground?" I exclaimed, feeling my eyes widen in amazement.

"The goblin kingdom is but a territory of our hidden world. For you see, we are not technically underground, but in a different dimension. Our world is as great as yours, as you are so fond of saying."

"Why didn't the book say anything about this?"

"Because that was not its story to tell. The Labyrinth is not concerned with telling about other regions than itself. Though, I am sure you are aware of other tales…Narnia, Middle Earth, Oz, just to name a few."

My head was beginning to hurt. "You mean to tell me I could have just as easily found myself a prisoner of Sauron or the White Witch?"

"Nonsense, you are hardly a prisoner, and those _stories_ were _highly_ fabricated. Tolkien and Lewis had much fun exploiting their experience in the Underground for their own profit. Did you know they were here together, and made a friendly wager of who could write the most successful account of our world? Of course they could not divulge the entire truth, lest the High Court be forced to dispose of them, though I dare say Lewis was a bit closer in his representation. That century was unusually cold…"

His voice trailed off as some great memory surfaced in his expression. I shook my head as I stared at him again. Food forgotten, I was suddenly in awe of the man…no, mythical creature in front of me. I tried to imagine a younger version of Jareth standing aside a huge lion, or fighting against a Ringwraith. I must be dreaming.

"Come now, precious, there is always a measure of truth in all myths, is there not?"

"So there have been others that have journeyed to the Underground and lived to tell the tale?"

"Certainly. Where else do fairy tales come from? Though, as I've said, any who return to your world are forbidden from telling the entire truth. We depend upon mortal imagination and belief to fuel our magic, and yet we must exist in a thinly-veiled secrecy."

I had to admit, it was genius, almost like spreading celebrity gossip just to keep names in the papers. This world of magic and myth existed in reality, but was hidden from human knowledge other than what flourished in our hearts and imaginations. It made me wonder what else was lurking in this other dimension. Was every creature and place of lore actually real? I shivered uncomfortably. I'd thought the Labyrinth was frightening enough. I suddenly felt very small and very, very mortal.

"My, how the thoughts are flying across your face," he commented in a jocular tone.

"It's a lot to take in." I folded my hands in my lap and took a deep breath before meeting his eyes. "So, you are actually a king though, right?"

"Yes, I rule over the Labyrinth and the goblin kingdom. I am a member of the Fae nobility. We oversee all regions of the Underground, due to our longevity and magical ability."

I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. At least, if I had to be trapped in the Underground, I had a powerful captor. I seemed to mean something to him, whatever his motives were, so surely he'd keep me relatively safe.

"And how long have you been the Goblin King?" I asked, though in truth, I really wanted to know how old he was period.

"Since my father was promoted to High King," he answered vaguely. His smirk widened.

"High King?" I squeaked. With every bit of information he revealed, a thousand new questions formed. He was becoming more a stranger to me with every second. Not to mention, it was almost impossible to imagine him as a child, or as a son to apparently very, very powerful Fae parents. Sure, I'd entered into this discourse with the intent to know him, a little, but I was a bit shocked at how open he was being. For some reason, I had only ever conceived a mere caricature of his personality. Amazing figment of a dream or cruel villain? There had been no in between, until now.

But despite his newfound _chattiness_, we still seemed to dance around the most important issue. He'd refused to discuss it earlier, but perhaps now, with a civil air about us, he'd be more forthcoming. I had to try. "Are you ever going to tell me why I'm here, or at least what you intend to do with me?" I amended, remembering his assertions that I was here because I lost the Labyrinth and made some deal with him that I could barely remember. "What in the world could you want with an ordinary human girl like me? You say I can't go home, but why? Can't you or one of your people send me back?"

I watched, sadly, as his entire demeanor changed like the closing of a book. When he finally responded, his voice was a strained whisper. "You are hardly ordinary, Sarah." He stood and tugged at his gloves before offering me a hand. I fought to keep my fingers steady as I placed my hand in his, using his aid to stand. "Enough questions for now. The hour grows late and I have other matters which require my attention. Know that you are quite safe, and that none will disturb you while you are the guest of the King. And at present, that is all you need concern yourself with."

I pulled my hand away as I noticed Aetia standing beyond Jareth's shoulder. Following my stare, Jareth turned to acknowledge her appearance. "Ah, Aetia. The very representation of punctuality. I entrust Sarah to your care once more."

And with that, he was gone, just…vanished. I gasped and turned my shocked green eyes on the pleasant lady before me.

"Fear not, my lady. The King has always had a touch for the dramatics." She smiled warmly and approached me.

I looked upon her with my new information. "Are…are you Fae like he is?"

"Yes, though I am not of the same status." She tilted her head. "It seems you and His Majesty had quite the conversation?"

"I never saw anyone else like him when I was here before, I – I was just curious," I mumbled, more to myself than to her, though she heard me quite clearly anyway.

"There are few Fae who reside in the goblin kingdom. His Majesty is generally a very solitary person."

Solitary? So even among his own kind, Jareth was avoided. Typical.

"Do not misunderstand, my lady, it's just that our kind is not overly fond of goblins," she winked and smiled brightly. "Were it not for the responsibility of the Labyrinth, I dare say one so powerful as His Majesty would never be asked to oversee the loathsome little creatures."

I followed her quietly back to my chambers, feeling equal parts irritation and intrigue. Once alone, I changed into a plain night dress and flopped down on the bed. I tried to categorize what little information I did know in the hopes that it would reveal some deeper meaning, or at least give me a plan of what to do next. Despite what he said, I was essentially Jareth's prisoner. I had been taken from my home and I was not allowed to return.

I just couldn't figure it out. I could perfectly remember my trip through the Labyrtinth – the funny little worm with a cockney accent, the helping hands, the door knockers, the old woman in the trash heap – but when I tried to replay what happened after I stepped into the castle, it was like the memory went out of focus. No matter how hard I tried to remember our final showdown, I had the uneasy sense that there was some essential bit of memory that I could not access. Jareth said I traded my freedom, no, accepted my dreams in exchange for my brother's safe return. But it didn't make any sense. Assuming that was true, wouldn't that have been two good things for me, and nothing but sacrifice on his part? Unless he actually wanted me, but why? True, my own memory was fuzzy, but I could remember the story just fine. I remembered the Goblin King offering the princess everything as a last resort to distract her. Was that really what happened to me or was I simply taking it for granted because I couldn't remember the exact truth?

I drifted into an uneasy sleep as my thoughts continued to riot in my brain.

**Jareth's POV**

I returned to my study hastily, half expecting to find another red crystal on my desk after all I had divulged. I was quite certain the court would not approve of a mortal knowing so much about our history, but as Sarah would not be leaving Underground ever again, courtesy of the piece of magical soul she bore, it shouldn't matter. In truth, I was rather shocked at how forthcoming I had been with her. I was rather secretive by nature. But, it seemed honesty was what she desired more than anything. I just had to decide how revelatory I was willing to become.

Aetia's arrival was preceded by a soft knock against the door. Nestled in her arms lay the sleeping human baby who had officially become a citizen of the Underground thirteen minutes prior. I gazed upon the child fondly despite the association with his abhorrent mother. I really should've made her a goblin, but Sarah's defense had crumbled my resolve. That's not to say I hadn't punished her; I implanted a permanent memory of her leaving the baby unattended at a shopping center, thus she believed herself entirely to blame for the child's kidnapping. She would also never be able to conceive again.

The small boy squirmed contentedly as Aetia handed him to me. I brushed a lock of hair from his forehead before lowering my lips to kiss his soft skin, while trying to quiet the pang in my heart. How ironic was fate to create a race of people so fond of children but so reproductively challenged? My thoughts unwittingly drifted back to my Sarah…my betrothed. Would we ever have cause to celebrate our own creation? I had to be hopeful that we would.

"Everything is all set, Your Majesty. The lady is settled, and the family awaits you in the throne room." She touched the boy's cheek tenderly before turning to depart. I smiled once more at the fragile life in my arms. "One thousand, two hundred and thirteen," I whispered. "May your new life be filled with the blessings of love, knowledge, and strength."

I clutched the child tighter before transporting us both to the new parents. As usual, their joyous, tearful faces both calmed and aggravated me. Settling an unwanted or neglected child with a new, loving family was perhaps the bright side of reigning over the Labyrinth, but every baby I held filled me with such longing for things I had no right to desire.

Three months. Barely a ripple in the endless stream of eternity in the Underground. Could anything really change in such a short period?

I bid the happy family farewell before settling onto my throne, tossing one leg over the arm and losing myself to my thoughts yet again. The castle was unusually quiet; likely due to Aetia's influence. She had been sympathetic when I told her of Sarah's difficulties remembering our betrothal, and oddly optimistic. I had little doubt that the Fae lady was already plotting some sort of match-making scheme in case the memories did not return.

Three months.

The time limit was like a constant drum beating against my consciousness. I considered my next course carefully. It was clear that while she did not entirely remember her past feelings and promises, she did yet feel something for me in the present. But was it only curiosity? No, there was definitely attraction as well. I smiled as I recalled the dilating of her eyes as I leaned closer to her, and the way she grabbed my arm to prevent me from leaving. She'd even used my given name for the first time. I supposed I could certainly manipulate that feeling if needs be, but I knew it would only be a shallow victory. I wanted Sarah to belong to me, mind, body, and soul, just as I belonged to her.

A strange pull suddenly manifested within the caverns of my chest, nearly arching my back away from the seat. Curious, I allowed the invisible ties to lead me through the silent corridors of the castle, but I paused with uncertainty once I stood before the door across from my own. The trail of sensation ended within Sarah's room. Apparently, some great conviction was transpiring within her. I hesitated for only a moment before deciding it was worth the risk of being caught to further investigate what was calling my piece of soul so strongly. Silently, I moved into her room and sat gently at the edge of her bed. I was nearly struck dumb by the sight before me. A sliver of pale gold moonlight lit her slumbering face with an unearthly beauty. Her night shirt had shifted, revealing the perfect curve of her smooth shoulder. Her silky dark hair fanned across her slim neck and over the pillow. I had to physically restrain myself from reaching out to touch her.

"Jareth…" Her breathy voice cut through the air and caused my heart to skip a beat, prodding that same magnetic impulse again. I grinned widely. Was she dreaming of me? I conjured a crystal and examined what lovely thoughts were floating through my beloved's mind. Expecting to see that blasted ballroom again, I was quite shocked as I recognized the very banquet room we had shared earlier. In the scene, I was leaning over her, as I had done, but rather than lower her eyes, she reached forward and clasped my face between her delicate hands.

A rush of heat spread across my face in the exact location her dream hands held me. Her dream-self moved upwards purposefully to press her warm, soft lips against my own. I gasped as the action mirrored itself upon my actual lips. Desire blazed through me with the intensity of a branding; stirring a passion that out measured anything I had ever felt before. My breath felt pinched as my pulse raced. I knew I should leave, but I was so quickly addicted to her fantasy that I could not tear myself away.

Swirling vapor began slicing through the dream images until I could barely make out our faces. "Ah my pretty Sarah, my queen, what new trick is this?"

So distracted was I by the dream that I failed to realize the mists in the vision were really the crystal's confusion over Sarah awakening. "What are you doing in here?" A low, tense voice whispered in the darkness. "And what do you mean by…_queen_?"

Slowly, I turned my gaze from the crystal to meet a pair of green eyes brimming with betrayal.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter picks up directly from here. We are very near to being done with day one (slow burn, remember?), and it does pick up pace a bit after that. Is it going too slowly? Are you feeling the tension? Did you like seeing a softer side to Jareth (my Jareth is like Shrek - ogres/onions have layers LOL). What do you think of the time limit? I crave your thoughts:)


	9. The Truth Shall Take You Prisoner

Disclaimer: Labyrinth and all its characters and settings do not belong to me, though I would pay a hefty price if those 'right words' actually worked! LOL

A/N: Continued thanks to all who review. Your words are the best motivation I can think of, and your thoughts just might help shape this tale! By the way, I respond to all registered users. I present chapter 8, in which GK (as I affectionately call him) spares some of the truth to his reluctant guest.

Chapter 8

The Truth Shall Take You Prisoner

**Jareth's POV**

"_What are you doing in here? And what do you mean by…queen?"_

Her eyes had often acted as a broken mirror which reflected my behavior in a warped representation that could not understand its own judgment. As she stared at me now, ready to fight me yet again, I found any twinges of remorse or embarrassment I might have felt at being caught in her borrowed room slip away. My reply was instantaneous; "This is my castle, Sarah, and I may go wherever I choose."

Her breathing hitched, and she pushed herself roughly into a sitting position, scooting as far from me on the bed as possible. "I-I want you to go. You shouldn't be in here!"

Her words, in light of the dream she'd just unknowingly shared with me, stabbed at me like ice. The urge I'd been fighting since she returned to the Underground to mark her, claim her, force her to remember her promises, flared into a fiery temper. "Is that so? Do not lie to me, Sarah. I know what your heart desires, even if you so conveniently choose to forget." I shifted my stance to reach towards her, feeling my eyes narrow to match the spiteful tone emanating in my words.

She gasped in obvious fear, and she jumped from the bed, clutching her arms to herself as some sort of shield. "I don't want you! Why won't you just let me go? Queen? Are you joking? I don't belong to you and I never will!"

I laughed mirthlessly, the sound resembling splinters of broken glass, while internally I cringed at her constant rejection. I had not intended for her to know my hand while she so stubbornly refused to acknowledge her own, but my patience was running thin. Perhaps wooing her was pointless after all, especially when facing a given set of time. Drawing and expelling a deep, settling breath, I rose slowly from the bed and turned to face my future queen, cowering before me despite her desperate attempts to control the situation. "Tell me, dear Sarah, what exactly _do _you recall of those last hours in my Labyrinth?"

"I remember you," she snapped, her beautiful face scrunching in scorn. "I remember how after fighting my way through each and every nasty thing you and the Labyrinth had planned for me I still managed to make it in time to save Toby, and then you still tried to distract me, tempt me."

"Tried? That implies that I did not succeed."

"But you couldn't have!" She cried in frustration and began pacing in front of the balcony. My gaze traced her silently as she worked through the remnants of the memory. "I woke up the next day and everything was as it should be. In fact, everything was so painfully normal that I assumed everything about you and this place was just a dream."

"They were. They were _your_ dreams, exactly as I offered you…" I stepped closer in her direction. She retreated warily, though she was quickly running out of room to maneuver away from me. "The dreams that you accepted."

"I don't believe you. It doesn't make any sense. Why would you-"

"Why would I what?" My voice was sharp as I cut her off, my irritation continuing to swarm at her repeated argument. We had been rehearsing this same song and dance since I appeared to her yesterday. Why did she not understand that she held no power over this situation?

I moved forward again, not stopping until I had effectively backed her away from the balcony and against the stone wall of the chamber. I could feel the heat of her body crawling over my own skin like the crackle of lightning. Her dusty green eyes were littered with an amalgam of emotions as usual. "Choose your words carefully, Sarah. My generosity is waning."

"But I got Toby back, I must have won…" Her quiet voice held the futile characteristic of one who was slowly realizing her own defeat.

"Perhaps you did win, but not the victory you assume?"

"Must you always speak in riddles?" She spoke through clenched teeth, though she could scarcely meet my gaze. I smiled in spite of myself at the seeds of doubt visibly clouding her mind, not to mention the surprising lust drifting in her eyes.

I lowered my voice and moved another inch forward. "Forgive me, dearest, let me speak plainly. I, unlike you, am not afraid to speak the truth, and I grow weary of your efforts to ignore it. I offered you your dreams, and you accepted _before_ the clock chimed.

Her eyes widened measurably and her perfect lips silently formed the word 'no' as she seemed to freeze.

"I'm afraid so, precious thing. I won and _you_ are my prize."

**Sarah's POV**

There had been many occasions in my life where I worried I might pass out, or even die, from the adrenalin coursing through my veins: the time I'd stupidly bungee jumped at Six Flags, when I'd nearly been run over by a delivery truck in town, when I'd stared down the Goblin King in a room filled with broken masonry…but nothing, _nothing _had ever come close to the way I felt at waking from that dream with the man himself sitting beside me.

The taste and warmth of his dream lips still burned across my own even minutes after our surprising encounter had driven me from my bed to find myself caged between him and a stone wall. I wanted the frantic beating of my pulse to signal fear, intrusion, and I suppose in a way it did, but only in response to the desire his very presence elicited. Though he barely touched me, I could feel the promise of his strength flow over me in a heated wave. His maddening scent surrounded me in a magical cocoon and it was all I could do to stay focused on our conversation. I wanted to be furious and deny all he spoke of. I wanted to make him furious too, if only to cause him to back up. _"Do you really want that, Sarah?"_ The devil inside me was far too joyous at my current predicament.

So he believed I gave in to his last temptation? Would I really have risked that, not knowing if Toby would ever be safe? I wanted to believe I wouldn't; especially considering I now had only lingering feelings of attraction for the Goblin King. Was I really so pathetic six years ago that I'd trade my baby brother for…lust? That's all this was, right?

I wanted to deny him again. But, even as he spoke about his triumph my memory replayed that final scene – one that I had thought of as merely a nighttime imagining for nearly a decade – and I knew he spoke the truth. My fingers seemed to tingle in recognition. I _had_ touched the crystal before the chime.

"You say I lost…then why did you send us back?" With enormous effort on my part, I lifted my face and met his penetrating gaze once more, trying not to think about the fact that his lips were only a mere foot or so from mine, or the way his pale hair shimmered in the moonlight . His enigmatic pupils looked nearly the same size in the dimmest of lighting.

"You were too young. It was not our time yet. So I waited until you reached your adulthood, which by your own standard was whenever you left your parents' home to make a life for yourself. I did everything you asked of me: I returned your brother, I honored your friends, I acceded to your time frame, I even -"

He stopped speaking abruptly, and for the first time that evening, he dropped his head from _my _gaze. When he spoke, his own voice held hints of uncertainness. "I needed you to be ready first."

"Ready for what? What exactly did I agree to when I _accepted_ my dreams?"

"Sarah, didn't you listen to a word I said then?" His expression softened. It was an imploring look that I had never seen from him before; nearly vulnerable.

Pledges spoken long ago passed through our joint consciousness. _"Just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want…Just fear me, love me, and I will be your slave…"_ Hadn't I thought upon those words a million times in the years since my alleged dream? And yet I never really questioned their meaning. All this time I had remembered his words as a desperate last attempt to distract me. Could they really have meant much, much more?

"But…but you can't be in love with me!" I sputtered, slipping past him to pace once more near the balcony, wondering fleetingly if escape could be found there. Though, I wasn't sure that was what I _really_ wanted, or simply what I _should_ want.

"Would that really be so hard to believe? Was it not you yourself who added that charming little detail to the story? Hmm?" He mocked, laughing bitterly as he continued circling my movements with the promise of recapture.

"It was just a story!" I cried. "I didn't mean what I was saying!"

"Calm yourself. I could no more be in love with you than I could be the kind, charming prince you dreamt of," he scoffed, stepping back to tower over me, his stance every bit that of a foreboding Goblin King. In his dark clothes, he looked just as deadly intimidating now as he had that night he appeared in my parents' bedroom. "Though, it matters little to your situation. Sincere or not, you chose me."

"And what if I don't believe you?" I lifted my chin and gathered every remaining iota of strength to lace my words with the promise of challenge.

His mismatched eyes captured my own for a long moment, seemingly able to caress every inch of my skin while simultaneously measuring my mind. Wordlessly, he turned his wrist and conjured a crystal. I tensed my muscles in an effort not to recoil from it.

He held the crystal in front of my face and I had no choice but to gaze into the scene being displayed. It was us, standing as adversaries amidst the ruins of his Escher room. He was dressed in the same feathered cloak, crystal in hand, offering his promises of dreams to my fifteen-year-old self.

"_So you accept? You will be my wife and queen?"_

"_Jareth, I love you. I want to be yours."_

"_As I will be yours, forever, my darling Sarah."_

"_Yes, forever…"_

"_You're mine now, precious thing."_

"_Just give me enough time to grow up. I-I can't be what you want; not yet at least."_

"_Say your right words, Sarah."_

"_When my childhood home is no longer my own, I will make my new home in the Underground as the Goblin Queen..."_

_He raised my hand to his lips, pressing a delicate kiss over the knuckle as some sort of seal. "Awaken now, precious thing. Our time has yet begun."_

I struggled to remain standing as I watched the scene in the crystal blur seamlessly with the ending of the dream that had never been a dream. I remembered waking that morning, the smell of bacon permeating the air, the sound of Karen's snippy voice, the contentment I'd felt moments before rushing to make sure Toby was okay, and the joy that this beautiful creature wanted me, before the harsh mortal reality stripped me of my fanciful ways. I remembered …saying yes. I just didn't remember why.

"We're…we're…engaged?" I could barely speak the word.

His posture both stiffened and relaxed at the same time. He tilted his head to the side and smiled in that way of his, though I couldn't help noting his eyes seemed sad, almost as if he pitied me. "Yes, though the connotation in the Underground is a bit more than what humans view it to be. For Fae, to be betrothed is essentially to be married."

"So you're telling me that by coming back here with you, excuse me, being _forcefully brought back here by you_, I'm…I'm the Goblin Queen?"

His smile twisted mockingly. "I'm afraid wife and queen are two separate things. We ascribe to the old ways here, Sarah. A union is not considered official until its two parts are proven…compatible."

My face burned crimson. Compatible? As in…_oh hell no!_ I tried to muster some kind of righteous indignation, but my inner voice was actually pleased at the idea of discovering just how _compatible_ the Goblin King and I could be.

"So if it's not official, that means it can be annulled?"

He actually flinched. "No. As I told you, you cannot leave the Underground, regardless of how you may believe you feel about me. You are bound by magic. Your mortal soul could not survive otherwise."

I was very quiet, for even in my discomfort I had not missed how carefully he phrased his reply. I could not leave the Underground, but could I leave him? And what did he mean, how I _believed_ to feel about him?

"How do I know that crystal was real and not something you made up to manipulate me?" I spoke without thinking – a terrible habit where he was concerned – though I knew very well what I saw was no lie.

I shrank against my stone barrier at the sudden storm in his eyes. "I grow tired of your games, precious. Think you I cannot see the truth reflecting in your eyes?"

"Fine. I lost, you won, I get it. But I was only fifteen, and stupid. That doesn't mean I want you now, so I guess your victory was pointless after all," I lied again.

With a movement so sudden I could barely comprehend it, he was suddenly standing fully before me. He placed his hands against the wall on either side of my head and leaned his body completely into mine before lowering his face until his mouth was against my ear. "And who would stop me from exercising my spousal privileges right here and now?"

I actually trembled. Every muscle in my body began vibrating at a fever pitch. I wasn't sure if it was fear or…desire. "Leave me alone. Please." My voice was little more than a whisper.

For several long moments, all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart, and our combined, shallow breaths. He didn't move or speak, but his proximity ravaged my senses nonetheless. I felt trapped beneath his solid frame, and slightly intoxicated by the feel of him pressed so intimately against me. Wisps of his soft hair brushed against my cheek, and his warm, moist breath traveled down across my exposed throat. Every breath I took was filled with his spicy scent. I felt my hands clench in agony at not being granted permission by my brain to wrap around his broad shoulders. My body shamefully wanted everything his actions were promising, while my head was literally scared stupid. Suddenly, he pressed the softest of kisses below my ear, sending flames though every cell of my being. I actually whimpered before my hands flew from the wall to press against his chest, willing him to move away while I still had enough coherency to resist.

Ever so slowly, he pulled back to allow a good foot of air between us, though the tense intimacy still shone in his eyes. "Very well. I shall give you your space, _precious thing_, but do not think to keep me waiting long. Make no mistake; your memory may not be fully restored to you, but you did accept my offer before time ran out. Husband or king, it matters little. You. Are. Mine." With another step backwards, he was gone. But not before my eyes had seen the look of hurt flash across his face.

I slumped against the wall and fought to regulate the flow of air coming and going from my panting lungs. My body continued to shake uncontrollably. I wanted to fight against his last declaration, but I couldn't. He had won in some way or another. He did rule me now, whether I liked it or not.

**Jareth's POV**

The door to my chamber crashed closed behind me with a satisfying slam that could challenge the aching pain thundering through my heart.

How could I have told her? She was not ready to know yet, at least not in this order. I had foolishly replenished the memory of the night in her mind, a simple enough task, though it was truly her heart that needed the recollection. Would she even try to reconnect to her feelings now that she knew the truth? After viewing her dream, I knew without a doubt that her subconscious recognized me, and her body more than wanted me, but Sarah's will was nothing short of brutally impressive. If she continued to choose not to accept my love, or her own for that matter, then she simply would not, and we would both perish.

I could feel her sense of despair and resignation resonating through our half-formed connection. Even now, even after pulling away from me out of her own warped sense of power and morality, I wanted to return to her side and soothe her concerns. Why could she not see me in earnest? I had done all that she asked of me, time, and time again, and yet she still painted me the darkest form of villain.

I was at war with myself. Love her or hate her? I should despise her for weakening me in this way, for betraying our love with her own shortcomings as a mortal, and for toying with my emotions ceaselessly. She should hurt as deeply as I did.

I sighed wearily before collapsing into a chair before the cold fireplace, swinging my leg over one arm in my usual stance and closing my eyes. I had not slept since journeying to the Aboveground to reclaim my obdurate would-be queen, a not so unusual occurrence, but this night I felt every rise and crash of emotion spread through me like iron fetters. Though I would not admit it to anyone, this had quite possibly been the most exhausting day of my very long existence. Even worse, I suspected this tiresome charade would continue indefinitely if I could not discover some way to ease the impasse between us.

I would simply have to keep my distance for awhile to allow her to acclimate to her new life and perhaps soften towards me. In three months, our betrothal would be over, and unless I found some way to give her the elixir, I would become mortal, lose my kingdom, and eventually…die. I smirked hatefully at the thought, my memories returning once more to the decree set forth by my own father, who knew very well that he was possibly condemning me to death. While he certainly seemed remorseful at the handing down of fate, I knew many others of his court would like nothing more than to see the Labyrinth fall.

The realization sobered me instantly. This stalemate between Sarah and myself could prove so much more dangerous than a pair of broken hearts. Should we fail to reconcile, and secure her immortality, the lives of everyone in my kingdom could be at stake.

I rose sharply from the chair and began spinning crystals in my palm, mimicking the thoughts spiraling through my mind. I would simply have to win her back, there was no other alternative; unless, I could somehow procure the elixir in lieu of the High King. Neither course would be easy, but perhaps it was best to try for both? Hedge my bets as the saying goes?

Apparently, sleep would evade me for another night. My purpose renewed, I hurried to my balcony and shifted into my owl form, soaring over the Labyrinth towards the portal to the Aboveground. It was time to demand yet another favor from a very talented hobgoblin.

* * *

A/N: I hope you are sensing the roller coaster that both of them are so stubbornly taking. What would they do I wonder if they realized they were passengers on the same ride? I apologize if you get tired of hearing their inner musings, especially Jareth (he does get lost in his thoughts a lot!) but his ruminating does serve a point. I just love to really develop my characters, and share what they are thinking. I hope you don't mind.

So is it getting hot in here or what? (I have to admit…I was listening to the Labyrinth soundtrack while working on this over the past few days, and holy hell, when David Bowie does his growling thing in Underground – especially towards the end – I just about melted, or combusted? LOL. Wish THAT one was performed in the film…) Anyhoo, long winded A/N over. Reviews are love!


	10. The Strain of Revelations

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot – and even that is stretching it a bit LOL.

A/N: At 5,000+ words this is the longest chapter yet, and still it was cut in half. Will post the remainder very, very soon (good stuff is coming!) I am quite happy with the interactions in this chapter, and important plot points are scattered through it, so I humbly implore you to give it a chance, even though our favorite couple is still a bit miffed at each other. I stick by my earlier disclaimer that this story will unravel slowly. I know some were disappointed that the last chapter wasn't more 'action' packed, but hopefully by now you've picked up that my writing style tends to really center on the emotions of the characters. I could probably write twenty pages just based on one look. Seriously. LOL. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing. Your thoughtful comments mean the world to me. It's pathetic how self-conscious I am.

Chapter 9

The Strain of Revelations

**Jareth's POV**

"She _what_?" The disguised hobgoblin's furious disbelief may have been comical if it hadn't matched my own. As it was, her showy little tantrum – stomping her stiletto heeled foot and throwing her manicured hands in the air – only further irritated me. "She rejected _you_?"

"Isn't that what I just said?" I snapped, though I was the slightest bit appeased by her apparent loyalty. If misery likes company, than so does incensed incredulity.

She slumped against the bedroom wall and wrapped her arms around her slender body. "She must not remember. I was so sure about her feelings…"

I frowned at the crestfallen expression clouding Raelle's face, quite a change from her initial annoyance at my interruption to her and her human's 'date.' After removing them from the rather repugnant restaurant and returning her beloved to his even grimier abode, I'd forced the hobgoblin to appear before me in none other than Sarah's apartment.

"Well it appears even you can be wrong from time to time," I sneered. She scowled but didn't dare voice her opinion back. She may be goblin nobility, but she knew her place when it came to me. "It matters little; she's one of us for good now."

"But how will you -" Her voice cut off immediately as she regarded my warning expression, though it was visibly killing her to keep quiet.

With an unnecessarily loud huff, I gestured for her to continue her thought. "Well?"

Her words escaped her in a rush. "Forgive me for being so bold, Sire, but I think you're going about this all wrong. You need to spend more time with her, not less. Make her see what she's missing. Trust me, I've spent enough time with these creatures to know they may say one thing, but mean something entirely different. And as far as Sarah is concerned, I still believe she remembers more, feels more, than she's willing to admit."

I agreed completely. Not that I would ever concede that information to an inferior. My eyes narrowed at her brashness. She shrank into herself, her glamour rippling slightly in response to her mental anxiety. Her human complexion flashed pale green momentarily before resuming its unnaturally perfect milky hue. "But I'm sure you didn't come all the way up here for advice…" She worried at her bottom lip while carefully avoiding my stare.

"No. I did not. I require another task from you."

Her focus snapped back to my face and she opened her mouth as if to protest, but thought better of it immediately. She really had been spending too much time away from the kingdom. She had become nearly as complacent in her deference towards me as Sarah.

"Calm yourself. I have not forgotten our bargain. I believe this new endeavor may yield the solution we are both seeking." I turned my back and began pacing around the bedroom, or rather, the _bed corner_. Boxes were strewn about in various stages of unpacking. I paused at the sight of a familiar red book resting upon the bed spread, the barest hint of a smile curling my lips. Sarah may have conveniently forgotten some of the finer details of our fateful encounter, but they were as yesterday in my impeccable memory, just as they were forever engraved within the text of this little book. Her trembling voice as she asked for her brother back, her flashing eyes trying so hard to portray bravery in the tunnel, her blossoming curves in the silver gown, and her beaming smile as she told me she loved me. That was the most bittersweet memory of all. Would she ever reiterate that sentiment?

I tucked the book into the breast of my doublet before turning back abruptly to face my minion. "I want you to ingratiate yourself to Lord Jonah. I believe he may know a way to acquire the elixir outside of the court, or may likely have his own supply."

"Lord Jonah!" She shrieked; the sound sticking in her throat with genuine alarm. "But he's a monster!"

I smiled sadly. "And well I know it. But he may be our best chance for getting what we desire."

"But how am I supposed to trick him? He'll spot my glamour immediately," her previously arrogant tone was barely audible.

"He'd better not. As for your methods," I reproved her wryly, "He is still just a man, and you above anyone know the power of feminine wiles and mischief. This should not be that much different than your usual tasks."

I could quite easily read the thoughts flashing behind her eyes; thoughts she would likely be shouting at me if given the chance. She'd argue on behalf of her new beloved, she'd contend against the noble Fae's heartless nature, and she'd beg me to reconsider. But I wouldn't, and she knew it.

Tears began forming in her false brown eyes. Her skin tinted green once more, though this time it may genuinely have been caused by nausea. I knew the danger I was placing her in, but if it meant granting Sarah immortality, it would be worth any cost.

"I…I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No," I replied coldly, carefully stripping any vestige of emotion from my voice. "However, I promise your Scott may partake of the elixir as well. If, of course, that is still what you desire?"

She nodded sadly. The small dwelling was suddenly filled with a heavy silence. What more could be said when you'd basically ordered a subordinate to perform a seemingly impossible task? She could not complain, and I needed her too much to take back the demand, or to somehow lessen the seriousness of her task by offering her comfort. In the decades that Raelle had served me, she had never failed, not once, and I could not allow her impeccable record to be tarnished now. True, my beloved had returned a bit less…affectionate…than I'd hoped, but she was kept safe and pure, all thanks to the young hobgoblin before me. No, Raelle would not fail us. She could not.

Her quiet voice, much more serious now than it had been only minutes earlier, interrupted the stillness. "So…" She let the words hang in the air as she shifted from foot to foot.

I arched one brow as my indication for her to complete her query.

"Why did you have me meet you here?"

I grinned smugly. "I do believe our future queen might enjoy a few creature comforts as a means to better settle into her new life, yourself included. I'd like you to take some of her belongings to her and spend a few days with her before beginning your quest."

"You know, in romance novels it's always the guy that bestows the thoughtful gifts to the girl," she grumbled.

"And what, pray tell, is more thoughtful than giving my betrothed time with her friend? A friend that I am sure will have nothing but the most _glowing_ remarks on my behalf?" I stalked towards her as I spoke, my threat implicit in the tone of my voice.

"Um yeah, point taken, Sire." She ducked her head and began twisting a strand of black hair absent-mindedly around a long finger.

"Collect some of Sarah's belongings, then go to your Scott and bid him your leave. I'll expect you in the castle within seven Underground hours."

She produced a large duffle bag and systematically began filling it a variety of seemingly useless items while I watched, before dematerializing entirely with the bag in tow. As soon as I could detect the absence of her magic, I exhaled slowly and felt my posture sag, exhaustion claiming me once more. Sarah's flowery fragrance still perfumed the air despite being gone for several days, and for having only occupied the room for a few hours. Here, among her belongings and the scent of her aura, her broken promises seemed to taunt me. Her disdain towards me and my kingdom had never been more insulting. Would she truly have preferred living out her mortal years in such a way? Lonely, destitute, and…mundane?

Casting my eyes upon her meager, lifeless belongings, I was suddenly sure of one thing; Sarah Williams had never been destined for this place. She was meant to be mine.

I straightened my spine and formed a crystal, instantly transporting myself to my chambers. I'd been in the Aboveground for a little less than ten hours – waiting for the sun to set, perusing Sarah's belongings, and meeting with Raelle – yet several days had passed in my kingdom. My thoughts immediately went to my fiery mate. Would she have missed me? I had determined from our last parting that I would not seek her out again. She would come to me of her own volition. I could not chance another disastrous encounter for fear of damaging our already fragile relationship further. I was counting on a certain hobgoblin to plant the necessary suggestions to send Sarah straight to me.

My boots clunked hollowly against the black marble floor of the room as I kicked them off. True, it was already morning in the Underground, but my bed could only look more inviting in that moment if a certain dark haired mortal with accusatory green eyes occupied it. Castle and kingly matters would have to wait until I'd replenished myself with rest; something my powers could inconveniently not do. I raised a hand, preparing to magic away my clothing, when Aetia's trademark knock sounded upon the door. "Enter," I sighed, pausing my motions.

She stepped into the chamber swiftly and offered me a silver tray with a red sphere resting upon it. "Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty. You must be quite exhausted, but I did not think it wise to postpone the delivery of this missive," she curtseyed as I took the message.

"No, it would not have been wise at all," my voice sounded flat as my eyes were already scanning the court's latest notice:

_Dear King Jareth, ruler of the goblin kingdom and Lord of the Labyrinth,_

_As mentioned in a previous notification, you will play host to a court emissary for the explicit purpose of witnessing the progression of your relationship with the Betrothed. The representative, Lady Aralia of the elven kingdom, will arrive on the morrow. We trust you will make her stay as comfortable as possible, and will not hinder her assessment of your situation in anyway. _

_Infinitely,_

_Lord Rafstan_

_Chief Justice of the Fae court_

"Aralia," I seethed, her name leaving my lips on the brink of a growl. Behind me, I heard Aetia gasp and the sound of a metal serving tray clatter to the ground.

**Sarah's POV**

The days that followed our nighttime showdown were filled with tasks associated with acclimating myself to the ways of the Underground. Aetia appeared each morning to help me dress – something I was ashamedly inept at – and to escort me to breakfast. After dining alone, she'd show me around the castle or the Goblin City, pointing out various points of interest or some strange custom on display, before returning to the castle to wander the corridors and gardens until dinner. I honestly wasn't sure what to make of the impossibly upbeat lady. After all, she had been the one to speak on behalf of his virtues – virtues that seemed to fly out the window only a few hours later – and she made her opinion about His Majesty and me quite clear, though she spoke very little directly about him. She had seemingly made it her mission to cast an impossibly bright light about her land, like a salesman trying to hide faults by blinding the potential buyer with the fancy gadgets. Perhaps it was pathetic of me, but I let her carry on.

While I certainly hadn't abandoned all hope of regaining my independence, I didn't see the point of pouting in my room like the petulant child I'm sure _His Majesty_ though I was. His Majesty. My king. My…_husband_. The thought still made my stomach churn, though not with as much disgust as I thought it should.

I had not seen Jareth since he vanished from my room that night. It seemed for all the trouble he'd gone through to reclaim me, he was just as happy to ignore me now. _"Well, you _did_ ask him to leave you alone."_

Have you ever wanted to beat the crap out of your conscience?

By the fourth morning of my self-imposed loneliness, I decided to try and fend for myself, and seek him out. After struggling with the ridiculous stays in yet another constricting medieval gown, I planned to somehow find my way to the banquet hall without assistance. Maybe today would be the day that the chair at the head of the table held an occupant. It pained me to admit that I actually missed him, or was at least disappointed when he failed to show his face at any of my meals. I could chalk it up to desperation for company – any company, but I secretly knew it was more than that. I was curious about what he was expecting to happen next. After all, he was the reason I was back in the Underground, he should be doing his damndest to –

"_To what? Please you? And why would he do that? It's not like he truly cares about your happiness. You were just a challenge for him to win!"_

"_But he did call me his queen…"_

"_And your point is?"_

"_He must at least like me a little to want to give me half of his kingdom."_

"_And when did he say he was going to do that? You have absolutely no idea what being his queen would even entail, and you can't even be in the same room with the man for more than a few minutes without pissing him off so thoroughly that he poofs away without answering your questions!"_

I began humming. Very loudly. I swear, His Royal Pain in the Too-Tight Pants was on my thoughts so often that he seemed to be taking over my conscience too!

I'd barely stepped out of my room when a soft cry of surprise directed my attention to the door across the hall. I felt my own eyes widen in shock at the sight of Jareth's housekeeper exiting his bedchamber before most of the castle was even awake.

"My lady, I am so sorry, I did not expect you to be awake yet!" She nearly stammered before smiling hesitantly at me. Her dark eyes swept over my attire with disbelief.

"Aetia, have you just seen Jar-, I mean, His Majesty?"

"Of course, my lady. His Majesty is resting at the moment."

Resting, huh? My eyes narrowed. _"What the hell was she doing in there with my husband when he's sleeping? Whoa, wait… did you just willingly refer to him as husband?"_

"Well, where has he been? I haven't seen him since the day I arrived," I demanded rather snippily.

"I believe His Majesty only just returned to the castle, my lady. I understand he had business in the Aboveground."

I felt my lashes drop in a slow blink. "Excuse me?" I managed to choke out after a long moment. "What. The hell. Was he doing up there?"

"Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to upset you. I…I should not have said anything, for I do not know any other facts. You'll have to speak with His Majesty upon his awakening." She shifted as if she were nervous, causing me to frown. In the days I'd known her, she had never been uncomfortable about anything. Aetia was the most cheerful, quietly confident person I'd ever met.

"Like hell, I will. He can answer me now! He's avoided me for days while traipsing around my world and doing God knows what else, and now he's got to face the music." I moved roughly, intending to push my way into the room, but Aetia's graceful hand clutched my arm before I was able to pass her. An immediate sensation of peace and light flooded through me. She turned a pair of dark eyes filled with painful desperation on me.

"Please, my lady. Give him some time. He is so weary."

Even as she said it, I felt myself weaken with some kind of invisible fatigue. My heart felt twisted in my chest, before heating to the uncomfortable burning I'd felt a few days earlier. I sucked air in through my mouth wildly and leaned back against my own door. "What is going on?" I wondered aloud.

Aetia regarded me sadly and opened her mouth twice before committing to words. Saying simply, "You're married now. That's a powerful thing." Wordlessly, she moved to my side and retied the stays at the shoulder of my sapphire dress before stepping further into the corridor. "I'll have breakfast sent to your chamber, my lady. You'll have time to speak with His Majesty once you are both more rested."

"Don't bother, I'm not hungry," I grumped.

"As you wish, my lady."

I stayed against my door for several minutes after she left, staring a hole through the wood of the mirroring entrance across from me. It was if I could feel his very presence beyond the barrier, and it called to me. There was a certain vibration…or sensation in the atmosphere that had not been there since his disappearance. Had he been in the Aboveground that long? The thought stirred my shallowly buried rage and resentment, but I forced myself to go back into my own room. The last thing I needed to do was initiate yet another argument with him. Clearly, those did not get us very far. No, I'd let him _rest_, poor, poor Goblin King. And in the meantime, I knew I had some serious thinking to do.

With one more scowl, I retreated into my bedroom and slammed the door. "He was in my world for four fucking days and he didn't have the decency to take me with him?" I muttered to myself.

"Technically, it was only a few hours, and he wasn't kidding when he said you couldn't leave the Underground."

My mouth flew open, preparing to scream, but the sound died just as quickly as my brain realized whose voice I'd heard.

"Rachel?" I shrieked, though the beautiful girl sprawled out on my bed was clearly my raven-haired friend. Unless, this was just an illusion or I'd completely lost it.

She grinned and stood to approach me, wrapping me in one of her bone crushing hugs. "I'd say I missed you Sar, but I just saw you two days ago," she laughed. "Well, in Aboveground time that is."

I felt tears biting at my eyes. "But how? When? Did he –" I grabbed her arms and searched her expression, terrified that he'd somehow ensorcelled her or something. I'd kill him if he abducted my friend.

"Relax. Hmm…how to explain," she began tapping her high-heeled foot in her trademark thinking pose. "Maybe you should sit down for this?"

"Just spit it out! How did you get here, and why are you acting so unbelievably calm?"

"Oookay. Ripping the band aid off it is." She snapped her fingers and suddenly, a small creature with mint colored skin and lemon eyes stared back at me. Her hair was still long and black, but her facial features had shifted so she looked more like a twelve year old. She was still beautiful in her own way, and it seemed impossible to stop staring at her. "Wow, you're taking this a lot better than I thought you would," she laughed cheerfully at my frozen face.

Shock could not even begin to disguise my initial reaction, though it quickly faded into an amused wonder. Was I slowly becoming like Alice? Would Wonderland cease to surprise me? "Wha-? How? Who? What are you?" I finally settled on a question.

"I'm a hobgoblin. I've worked for His Majesty since I was born…erm…eighty-three years ago." She effortlessly shifted back to her human form and winked at me. "Sire asked me to come back and help you settle in. I'm really sorry I couldn't be up front and honest when we first met. I guess maybe that woulda saved a lot of confusion on your part, huh? But I swear, looks aside, you got the real me. I'm the same little shit you've come to love and adore…Your Majesty," she finished reverently.

I let the Your Majesty comment slide. I even ignored the fact that my so-called best friend for the past six months had been working for the enemy. No, one point of fact glared above the rest; "You knew all along that he was coming to get me?" My fury was simmering closer to the surface this time.

"Um, well, yeah…I was sent ahead to sorta watch over you," she met my gaze head on. "And before you go getting all upset at me, I'd like to point out that you were always going to be coming back here, regardless if he took the trouble to make sure you had a friend or not."

We stared at each other for what seemed like ages. In any other setting, this could've been one of our ridiculous battles of wills over who would wear the black Manolos; battles that Rachel always won. The way I saw it, I had two options: I could raise holy hell and rip her a new one for lying to me – thus denying myself the opportunity to have both a friend and a familiar presence here – or, I could try to forgive her deceitfulness and take her at her word that she was still my friend. Chances were good this had never been her idea in the first place.

I sighed and flopped down onto the loveseat, lowering my face to my hands in surrender. "So…so you know that he thinks we're like, married or something?"

"Sarah," she paused and sat beside me. "Is it really such a bad thing to be betrothed to a king? One that loves you?"

I snorted. "He doesn't love me. He's just reveling in his victory."

"Well, in addition to me, he wanted you to have some of your old stuff," she shrugged before wondering aloud, "hmm I wonder why some a-hole that didn't care would go through so much trouble just to make sure you're comfortable."

"Probably just trying to lure me into a false sense of security," I mumbled, though my heart jumped at the sight of my overflowing duffle bag on the foot of the bed. I jumped from my spot and began rummaging through the bag. Jeans! T-shirts! My Walkman! Oh my!

"Uh huh," she drawled, moving to lean casually against the bed post. "Just keep an open mind, Sarah. That's all I'm saying. No one here is going to judge you except yourself. Just talk to him, you never know, you might even like him. And don't think I don't know who you were fantasizing about all those nights I camped out at your house…" She wiggled her eyebrows wickedly.

I felt my lips scowl, but even I could not deny the rabid fantasies I'd allowed my brain to create based on a few innocent dreams with a certain Fae king. I shuddered to think what _he'd_ have to say if he knew the thoughts I was capable of.

"Anyhoo, I just wanted to check in on you. I know this must be a shock to you, but it won't be so bad, Sar, I promise. You can still trust me." She took my hands between hers and squeezed them.

"Thanks, Rachel."

"It's Raelle, actually," she grinned sheepishly. "Though, I always liked it when you called me Ray." She moved towards the door, and a genuine fear tore through me.

"Am I going to see you again?"

"Duh! I haven't even filled you in about Scott!" Her devious smile was comforting in its familiarity. "But Aetia's going to be back soon, and I really can't stand her, so…"

"Seriously? She's like the sweetest person I've ever met," I disagreed merrily.

"Uh-huh," Rachel, I mean Raelle, rolled her eyes. "That's another story right there. Just…remember what I said, Sar. I've known him a long time, and there is a lot more underneath the gruff exterior and moody temper." Her jaw flexed, as if she were admitting a hard truth, before her jovial expression returned. "Not that it isn't a fine exterior…and one I can't wait to hear about in more detail," She snickered at the blush I felt appearing on my cheeks before blowing me a kiss and departing.

The room felt oddly lifeless and yet full of secrets once she was gone. My mind was trying to rip itself into thirds or fourths in order to process the information it had gathered in such a short time. Like some great recipe, I wondered if the ingredients would add up to a masterpiece or a flop? All the variables aside, I supposed the only thing that really mattered was how I honestly felt about the man; not the king, or Fae, or anything else. Could I truly be his wife? Forever?

I ambled back to the bed and began unpacking the bag supplied by him via an even greater present – a friend. A long, white feather fell from between a layer of clothes. I realized with a jolt of recognition just where I'd originally found it, and who it must've belonged to. Just how often had the King of the Goblins sat on that branch to watch over me?

I picked it up tenderly and let my fingers trace the soft lines while I thought about my friend's advice. Hadn't I already promised myself to make the best of my time here? For that matter, hadn't I already decided years ago I loved Jareth when I thought he was only a dream? After he showed up five nights ago, like some avenging angel of twilight, my fear and automatic defenses had overridden any other emotion I might've truly felt. I knew my imagination had pined for him since we'd met. Well, here he was alive and in the flesh. Maybe he wasn't exactly what my mind had created him to be, but that was hardly his fault. And I'd already given myself permission to get to know the real him better. Sure, our late night encounter had been a shock to my system, but at least now I knew why I was here. He wanted me to be his queen. He had alluded to the fact that he cared for me and certainly some of his actions proved that. But I couldn't help but worry, because he was also cruel, and moody, and arrogant, and…sexy. _"That's right, Sarah, and don't you dare try to deny it!"_

He had offered me my dreams. But how did _he_ know what they were when even _I_ didn't know what they were? Before the trial of the Labyrinth began, all I really wanted was to be seen. I spent all my time imagining I was some terrific heroine in a fairy tale just to feel special. Then he came along and made it real. And clearly, a magical adventure _wasn't_ what I truly wanted since I'd spent every second after getting it hell-bent on beating him and returning to my normal life.

But everything had changed with that hallucination. I still didn't know if what had transpired after I ate that damned peach was real or not. The dark waltz forever haunted me, because before the Labyrinth, that had been my ultimate fantasy. Me, dressed in a breathtaking gown befitting a princess, as the guest of honor at an enchanted ball. Only, every time I'd imagined the scene while lying safely on my own bed in my own house, it had been Prince Charming that stepped forward to take my hand, not a Goblin King. Why then, had I been so relieved when I finally found Jareth among the dancers? Why had my whole body trembled when he took me in his arms and spun me so gracefully around the room? Why had my breath left me when he began singing those words to me?

"_Jareth _is_ your version of Prince Charming, idiot! You could never fall for Mr. Goody two-shoes; you need someone to challenge you, yet make you safe. Someone so wickedly beautiful that it sometimes hurts to look at him, yet completely infatuated with you. Only someone who was inherently selfish would know how to offer such devotion."_

Was it my subconscious that put the Goblin King in my fantasy? Or was he simply there out of association? He _had_ been a constant on my thoughts, what with trying to defeat him and all. Did he, himself, plan to be in my dream in order to further distract me? And if it actually had all been real, did he really feel the way he seemed to?

For a few brief shining moments, despite the throng of people around us, we had been two people alone in all the world. Our souls had connected, and I knew that was the moment the Goblin King had managed to carve a part of my heart for himself…I knew, that I could search the ends of the earth for all eternity and I would not find another man that looked at me the way Jareth did during our dance. But what if it wasn't real?

I tucked the owl feather beneath my pillow with a sad sigh. I wanted it to be real. Maybe I was scared to admit it, but in the deepest part of me, I wanted to believe there was more to this arrangement than someone triumphing over someone else. I wanted to believe that what I felt in that dream was genuine on both our parts and that I had recognized my true love at the tender age of fifteen. I wanted to know this man that I had pledged myself to. I just needed the courage to find out if I could trust him.

My mind made up, I slipped my feet into a pair of loafers and set off to wake my would-be husband. Some things just couldn't wait.

* * *

A/N: So Sarah's heart is softening…too little too late? Wonder what has Aetia so upset? I really do like Raelle, I hope you do too. I enjoy having her fight to stay respectful in front of her king while being a total spaz with Sarah.

How 'bout those rumors that Tim Burton is planning to remake Labyrinth…possibly utilizing his prized star, Johnny Depp, as GK himself??? Review? Pretty please?


	11. Ensnared through a Cliche

Disclaimer: Same as always…Not mine, no profit, all for fun!

A/N: Sorry this took longer than usual to update. I had some trouble with the second half…must've re-written it three or four times (these two just don't want to get along!) and I'm still not entirely happy with it. Anyhoo, just hope it makes some kind of sense. I'm all jacked up on cold medicine, so for all I know it's all about pink bunnies or something. No, for real…this chapter is ALL J/S. And the M warning is starting to come into play. This is my first posted attempt at anything resembling a lemon…be warned!

Chapter 10

Ensnared through a Cliché

**Sarah's POV**

I'd never realized how powerfully intimidating a simple wooden door could be. Doors were meant to act as comforting barriers to protect against the elements or nefarious purposes, but they were also supposed to be welcoming – a gateway to what lies beyond. Why was it that so many doors in the Underground were neither welcoming nor comforting? Certainly the Labyrinth door had not offered me any solace. I remembered the laborious groan it released as it slowly swung open and the ominous thud as it closed behind me. The door I faced now seemed just as menacing, as it too shielded a great unknown. Sure, I'd left the safety of my own door swiftly enough, but now that I'd crossed the hall, the wind in my sails had positively deflated.

What had seemed such a brilliant idea only minutes ago was now drowning in doubtful thoughts. Was I really ready to face him again? Would he be mad that I disturbed him in his private chambers? What if he was honestly sleeping? If he was, what if he was…naked? That annoyingly helpful subdivision of my conscience was only too happy to point out that since he claimed I was his wife, I had every right to enter his room, as he had mine, and that it would serve him right if I woke him up, since he had conveniently left me behind while tarrying about in my world, and if he was naked, well, would I really mind so much?

I was blushing already and I hadn't even knocked yet. What was it Raelle had said? Rip off the band aid?

I screwed my eyes shut and raised my hand to knock on the door before I could talk myself out of it, but my knuckles met air rather than rough wood.

"Ah. It's you. To what do I owe the pleasure of this surprise visit?"

I actually shivered, though I was far from cold. That deliciously haughty, accented voice could turn even the purest angel into a willing sinner. I opened my eyes slowly, as if the action would somehow protect me from the sight that I knew would wreak havoc on my senses. How foolish I was at times.

He leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed just below his chest. While his playful blonde hair was a bit mussed, likely from sleep, the rest of him was just as dangerous to behold as ever. The odd crescent moon pendant he always wore rested against his smooth, pale flesh, clearly displayed due to the fact his black shirt hung open, framing his lean muscled torso. Had I ever really given thought to how insanely gorgeous Jareth looked in black? His snug trousers were also black…and made from leather. I was momentarily startled to see that his feet were bare, contrasting sharply with the dark marble floor. Somehow seeing him in even the smallest amount of undress was incredibly intimate, and surprisingly arousing. I forced my gaze upwards quickly, appreciating his long, toned legs as I went.

My eyes lingered a little too long below his waist. At fifteen, I'd certainly noticed what was barely hidden beneath the Goblin King's impressively tight pants, but I'd been more embarrassed by it than intrigued. That was certainly not the case now. Was Jareth a shower or a grower? The obscene thought flitted through my addled mind before I could stop it, chased swiftly by yet another raging blush.

A clearing of a throat snapped my eyes back to his face. His entire expression shifted into the most devilish smirk I'd ever seen. I held his stare defiantly, despite the heat flooding my face. He surprisingly, and probably wisely, did not offer a comment.

"I – I thought you were sleeping," I mumbled lamely.

His grin widened to show his pointy teeth and he laughed. "So you thought to rouse me? Deny me my rest?" He ducked his head until we were eye to eye. Amusement reigned in his expression. "I suppose turnabout is fair play, considering our last meeting and my efforts to disturb your slumber."

"You've been gone," I stated, completely bypassing his not-so-subtle reference to _that_ night.

"I wasn't aware you were keeping tabs on me. Am I to conclude you…missed me?"

I ignored his attempt to draw me in to another childish argument. "I had some more questions."

"No doubt," his lips twitched in amusement. He straightened and stepped to the side, sweeping one arm elegantly into the room in the universal symbol of 'come on in.' Only problem was, I had to brush right past him to do that, and my feet seemed to be having an issue with it. He smirked again, saying in a suddenly much lower voice, "I don't bite, Sarah. Well, not unless you _want_ me to."

I lifted my chin and marched past him, only jumping slightly at the sound of the door closing us in. No, the doors here were definitely not comforting at all. Neither was the enormous four-poster bed situated directly in my current line of sight. Best not to think about that at all.

He casually swaggered by my stiff form to take a glass decanter off a shelf by his fireplace. "Care for a drink?"

"It's not even eight yet," I criticized, though the promise of liquid courage was sorely tempting, just like the man offering it.

"Ah. But again, we are in the Underground, and do not have need of such moralistic condemnations." He poured the dark, crimson liquid into two goblets, and handed one to me wordlessly before taking his own to one of the two indigo wingback chairs before the mantle. I noticed openly that the set-up of his chamber was very much like the one I was staying in, only the color scheme was more vibrant with jeweled reds, blues, and purples. Was it a coincidence that they were all my favorite colors?

"Come. Sit," he beckoned as he settled himself comfortably, stretching one arm across the back of the chair and crossing a naked ankle upon a leather-clad knee.

My fingers clenched around the goblet in my hand as if it had miraculously transformed into some kind of shield that would protect me if I put myself within reach of this far too unpredictable man. I sat stiffly in the chair across from his, a simple round end table the only thing separating us. I stared unabashedly as he lifted his glass to his lips. Even the way he swallowed was seductive. I suddenly had very strong doubts that I would not escape this room as innocent as I had entered it. What the hell had I been thinking, willingly entering his bedroom alone? It was as stupid as playing with fire.

My own wine became falsely interesting. I took a huge swig, nearly draining it, before setting it on the table, trying not to cough as the bitter liquid burned my throat and made my eyes water. And I'd thought 151 rum was strong!

I was far too aware of his eyes upon me, though I refused to directly meet his gaze. Somehow, I knew that would be my undoing. "I suppose I should start with an apology," I paused, twisting my fingers nervously.

"Really," was his only comment. I did not need to look at him to know how amused he was. His mirth at my expense was always a surefire catalyst to my indignation.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. You've plenty of your own explaining to do," I retorted rather churlishly.

"Forgive me, dearest. Do continue; you've left me in such suspense," his voice hissed the final word caressingly.

"Do you have to do that?" I snapped. Though, I was more irritated at myself than him. Even a few simple words from him were as dangerous as electricity dancing across my skin.

"Do what, precious?"

I chanced a look at his face. He blinked with mock innocence, a small smile playing at his lips. He held my gaze intimately as he brought his wine to his mouth once more, this time letting his tongue trace his upper lip after setting his empty glass next to mine. He may as well have licked a trail across my own skin. Was this magic? Had he somehow placed a spell on me, making me hyper-aware of his smallest movements?

"You know very well what…" I muttered angrily, ripping my eyes from his annoyingly distracting face. "It's like you're the personification of seduction or something," I whispered, though I had little doubt he heard me loud and clear.

"And do you want to be seduced, Sarah?"

I felt my natural defenses flare into action again, ready to rumble in face of a potential hazard, of which Jareth never failed to present. But I squashed them down immediately, realizing I was being set up again. He was just teasing me. Couldn't I handle a bit of teasing? Really, I should be flattered that he continued to make the effort, unless of course he just enjoyed my discomfort. In which case, I shouldn't indulge him. _"Over thinking things much, Sarah?"_

I laughed in spite of myself. "You know, I don't like fighting with you, but I can't seem to help myself," I smiled wryly.

"Yes, I'd say that is an affliction we both suffer from." His lilting voice was for once friendly and free of innuendo.

I took a deep breath before finally speaking. "It's just…I-I still don't remember exactly what happened all those years ago, so to just give in to all this is really hard for me. But, I believe you. I believe what you showed me, and I'm sorry I've been so difficult. I can see that you've probably had very different expectations for how this was going to go, and," I stopped again, my courage – or was it pride? – waning.

My attention was forced to move back to him as he slowly uncrossed his legs and stood to refill our glasses. I started to protest, the alcohol was already blooming in my veins, but he silenced me with a gloved finger to my lips. I absently mused at the fact he wore no socks or shoes, but still had on those ridiculous gloves.

"There's no one to tell us no, Sarah." He raised his glass in salute, and smiled with that same mischievous glint I'd come to recognize as pleasure. He formed a crystal and tossed it into the barren hearth. A roaring fire instantly blazed to life. This was quickly turning into the big, fat, seduction cliché I'd nearly accused him of only moments before. All that was missing was Barry White and a bearskin rug. His lips twitched again at my suspicious frown. "There is quite a chill in the air this morning, is there not?" He resumed his place beside me and encouraged me to drink more of my wine. "Now, I do believe you were saying something about expectations? Hmm?"

I had intended to grill him about his trip above, demand to know his intentions with me, and eventually thank him for sending Ray with my stuff, but I'd forgotten not to look in his eyes and found myself once again distracted. Every time our eyes met, it was like some great magnet resided within my chest and pulled me towards him. I'd felt it at other times as well, but when his blue orbs were fixated on me, I literally wanted to drown in him.

He reached forward carefully and moved a strand of hair away from my face, careful not to touch my actual skin. Something about the motion was familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. Instead, my ever helpful brain spat out the first thing it could think of; "Why do you always wear gloves?

"Always so curious." He smirked arrogantly. "I wear them for two reasons. They are appropriate for my position as Fae nobility, and they protect those around me from being accidently affected by magic. My hands are a point of power."

Of course I should've already guessed the second part. I'd seen him form enough crystals to have been able to piece it together. "That makes sense," I replied rather lamely. "So you can't…touch things…without them? Is it like that for all Fae?" Even as I asked I realized it wasn't true; after all, Aetia didn't wear gloves. "Or just males?"

He stood slowly while keeping his gaze steady on me. Stepping closer, he pulled me to my feet until our bodies were only inches apart. His strange, beautiful eyes held mine captive while he deliberately positioned his hands so that I could see them. Ever so slowly, he tugged the glove on his right hand off and held it in his left. My heart jumped into my throat. I could hear my pulse hammering in my head and heat flooded through my body. He raised his bare hand towards my face and deliberately stroked my skin from my cheek to my jaw with the tips of his long fingers. A hot, tingling sensation coursed across my cheek, perfectly outlining the cells he had touched as if caressed by pure magic.

"I assure you, I can touch whatever I want," he whispered, his voice somewhat throatier than usual. "And as for all male Fae, you'll never find out, for none else shall ever touch you."

All the innocent banter was gone. Fire blazed in his eyes, completely incinerating my desire to drown. No, I wanted to burn right along with him. I gulped in a breath and picked up my wine goblet again, stepping to the side and away from him as I choked the contents down. The potent liquid didn't scald nearly as much this time.

"Now…is that really the question you wanted of me?" He stalked closer. That invisible magnet wanted me to throw myself into his arms, wanted to touch fingertips to the exposed skin of his chest and curl through strands of golden hair. I recoiled nervously, nearly knocking the table over in my attempts to flee. He reached out his bare hand and grasped my elbow lightly to steady me. Thank God I was wearing long sleeves.

"Um, qu-questions?" I stuttered helplessly. What was it I had been so determined to know when I came to his room?

He smiled incredulously and cocked his head to the side. "You defied me fearlessly at every turn as a child, but now, alone as we are and after all this time, you are afraid of me?"

How could I explain that I wasn't necessarily afraid of him, just the way he made me feel? With every moment that passed since I'd been reunited with Jareth, I'd grown just a little bit more chagrined at my body's refusal to act like a grown-up in his presence. I was not a little girl anymore –well, aside from my lack of experience – and I should be able to stand in front of an attractive man without turning fifty different shades of crimson. I should be able to meet his gaze without feeling like I was completely drunk – which in this circumstance, maybe I was – and I should be able to have some kind of witty or coy retort. But no; I was nothing but a bumbling, blushing, virgin who was way out of her league.

"I just don't know if I can trust you…I want to, I do. I want to give this a try."

"Define try?"

"Well…you say we're, uhm, married?"

His eyes glinted wolfishly. "In a matter of speaking..."

"If we're really married…if I really have given up my life as I know it to spend the rest of forever with you…then, I just need to know this isn't some game to you."

"Is it a game to you?"

"No…And I know I can't avoid you forever, but I don't know how to get close to you either."

"Am I truly so undesirable, Sarah?" I watched like a helpless rabbit as he moved directly in front of me. Keeping my eyes firmly locked within his own gaze, he slowly reached across, took the goblet from my hand and set it on the table.

"You know you're not," I answered quickly, feeling the sweeping blush building again. "But this can't just be about…lust." I spat the last word like it was dirty. He chuckled and stepped closer, placing one gloved hand at my waist.

"So you do want me after all, precious. I know how difficult that must have been to admit." His grip tightened as he took on the persona of the cat that ate the canary. "I want you to be comfortable with me, Sarah."

The burn from his intense look seeped through every part of me stronger than the wine as he shifted closer and carefully wrapped his hands around my upper arms, pulling gently until I found myself pressed along his impressive body. I started to twist, a natural reaction to being so close to him despite the delighted tingling coursing within me, but his grip tightened. His hands spread outwards until one rested behind my shoulder blades and the other entwined itself in my long hair. "Don't fight me, precious. Please," he whispered in my ear. It was the please that did me in.

I lowered my head until it rested upon his chest. He held me wordlessly for ages, my cheek pressed against the soft fabric of his shirt and the warm skin beneath it. I could hear the steady beating of his heart and his heady scent assailed my senses, but rather than calming my trembling, he only succeeded in making my pulse pound faster.

A gloved hand traced itself over the curve of my cheek before slipping beneath my chin and lifting it to meet his eyes once more. I gasped involuntarily at the intensity I saw there, suddenly afraid all over again. "Jareth, I-I've never –"

"Shh, precious. Just a kiss. Just a small token of affection between a man and his wife."

His face moved towards mine in the slowest increments, almost as if he were baiting me to try to resist. But I didn't want to. In that moment, I absolutely craved the knowledge of what it would be like to kiss this beautiful man. I shifted up on my toes and closed my eyes, holding my breath, until I felt warm skin touch mine. His kiss started slowly and tenderly, just as I'd always imagined, but it quickly progressed to more. His arms tightened possessively around me as he increased the pressure of his lips, nearly bruising in their conquest. My own hands wove through his silky hair, cementing his head to mine. I felt the tip of his tongue trace my bottom lip and I gasped, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His tongue coaxed mine to dance and a moan escaped my throat as waves of pleasure raced through my body, warming my heart and setting lower parts of me ablaze. He tasted of wine, spices, and magic, and I never wanted to let him go.

I was numbly aware that he'd lifted me and was walking towards the bed, my legs wrapped shamelessly around his abdomen. Alarm bells were trying to ring in my brain, but that oh so helpful wanton conscience of mine was holding the bells hostage. I tried to shift my weight, but only succeeded in welding myself lower on his body. His obvious arousal pressed firmly against my center, making my stomach clench with a delicious agony I'd never experienced before. He groaned and tore his lips from mine, raining hot, open-mouthed kisses along the column of my neck.

Hazy protests began mumbling past the blinding lust. "Jareth, stop!" I panicked.

**Jareth's POV**

I'd not lain on my bed for even five minutes when the sensory alarm I'd placed near my door alerted me of a visitor. The image of Sarah – wide-eyed, innocent, blushing, and nervous – standing before my chamber filled me with intense curiosity and even greater desire. Her absolutely perfect portrayal of proffered virtue was nearly impossible to resist, particularly in the state she'd been driving me to since her arrival. Her only saving grace had been the amusement I'd gleaned from observing her mismatched attire – those horrendous Aboveground thick-soled mules peeking out from beneath her beautiful Underground dress. What a fitting homage to the girl herself though; she would always be of both worlds. It was enough to inspire love all over again, if only she were able to cease her constant defiance, although that in itself was another conundrum. Would I still love her without her feistiness?

But wonders of wonders, she had been…pleasant; for once receiving my flirtations with graceful amusement. She had even apologized! Before I could stop myself, I'd given her Fae wine. I knew it was far stronger than anything she'd ever be able to obtain in her world, and I knew its reputation for greatly reducing inhibitions, but it was beyond time for Sarah Williams to get out of her own way. That she initially fell for my rather obvious attempt to seduce her was a bit surprising; I'd been expecting her _current_ protestations from the very beginning.

"Jareth, stop," her lust-ridden voice objected feebly. She pushed against my chest with her dainty palms, though her legs continued to grip my waist intimately.

I licked a wet, hot trail beneath her jaw, leading my teeth to nip lightly on her ear lobe. "Stop? Whatever for, Sarah mine?"

Her breath expelled with a passion induced moan. Her tiny fists lifted to tug mercilessly on the hair at the nape of my neck again, sending bolts of desire swirling through me. I could feel her pulse pounding against my chest, and thanks to our connection, I knew her want was nearly as strong as my own.

I purposefully slid one hand from behind her shoulders to cup her rear, pulling our bodies even more tightly together.

"I want you, Sarah." I punctuated my words by flexing my hips against hers. The heat from her womanhood was nearly my undoing. It had been far too long. Perhaps my chastity during our lengthy engagement had not been the wisest course after all.

"I-I can't. I've never, I mean, I don't know-" She twisted helplessly in my arms, which only served to further my own discomfort. What was it Raelle had said? Sometimes mortals say one thing but mean another? I lowered my lips to hers once more, sucking gently on her lower lip before teasing her tongue with mine.

She ripped her face away, breath coming in heated gasps, and tried to unwind a leg from my hip. "Please, Jareth. Please stop."

I set her down reluctantly before pulling away with a frustrated sigh. "What exactly is the problem?"

She stepped a good number of paces away from me, and consequently the bed we were about to utilize, before speaking. "We barely know each other."

"Come, come, come, Sarah. That is most certainly not true." I stalked her purposefully, ready to re-engage our pursuits as soon as she had exhausted her pathetic attempts at protesting.

"What I meant was, I don't really know anything about you."

"How does that in any way prevent us from enjoying one another's physical company?"

She made a noise of pure disgust. "Well, I haven't kept my virginity for all this time just to throw it away at the first signs of lust." She crossed her arms in front of herself, a ridiculous gesture considering the state of her tangled hair and her kiss-swollen lips.

"_Will this infernal waltz never end? Going in circles does not even begin to describe this girl!"_

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between two fingers. "Sarah, you have recently pointed out that you accept this union."

She nodded, eyes huge with her defiance and nervousness.

"You do realize this is going to happen eventually?" I motioned between our two bodies.

She nodded again, but this time could not hold her gaze steady.

"Then why delay the inevitable? You desire me, I desire you. Perhaps we do not know the details of each other's lives yet, but we are in a committed relationship, as you humans like to say."

"Are we?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

My eyes narrowed darkly. Just what was she implying? "There will never be another for you, Sarah. You are mine." I couldn't control the threatening quality of my voice.

"But what about you?"

Was this really the time to explain the customs of the Underground to her? "It is different for males, particularly the nobility…"

"So you can just sleep with whoever you feel like?" She snorted angrily. "That's disgusting! You really think I'd let you touch me after being with someone else?"

"I could force you. It is within my right," my voice dropped in pitch. I didn't feel it necessary to mention my long period of abstinence, nor how I'd born it out of loyalty to the love we'd once pledged, the love I still harbored. Her attitude towards me in that moment was too unforgiving to offer anything but a mirror image of her own taunting.

"You've threatened that before," she straightened her spine and jutted out her chin. The image sent my mind on a whirlwind back to the time she had defiantly called the Labyrinth a 'piece of cake.' She had been bluffing then, just as she was now. "And you're right; I can't stop you if you intend to rape me. But if you do, I will hate you forever."

Rape? Was she serious? "Oh, precious thing, how cruel you can be…always so quick to think the worst of me."

"Well, I don't trust you," she stated flatly.

"When have I ever lied to you, Sarah?" I felt the unfairness of her words stab at my own self-defense. "I only ever did what you asked. I have even told you secrets of my race, asking nothing in return. You are the one who entered my chamber this morning. You are the one who asked to be closer to me. You are the one who responded so deliciously to my kiss. So, I ask again, what have I ever done to deserve your distrust?"

"It's not what you've done…it's what you are! It's what I feel-" She ended her words abruptly and whirled around, but not quickly enough to prevent me from seeing the tears glinting in her eyes.

The realization hit me with the force of a gale wind. Her discomfort had little to do with me and everything to do with her own mistrust in herself. How often I forgot just how truly young she was. I bit back my irritation and gathered my patience.

Moving quietly to stand behind her, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her back against me. I pushed her hair over her shoulder and touched my lips to the skin below her ear tenderly. "Sarah, don't be afraid. There is nothing wrong with the way you are feeling. I am just as affected by you."

"I can't. Not yet. Don't you understand?"

I picked up her hand and ran my ungloved fingers across her palm softly before bringing it to my mouth to place a warm kiss in the center. I watched, smiling, as her eyes closed and a tremor ran through her. "You can, and you will…but I am not as heartless as you think. I am generous by nature, and I will give you your time, just as I did before. But you will not avoid me anymore."

"Just…what do you expect from me?" She turned in my arms. Her beautiful eyes swam with fear, nervousness, and could it be tenderness?

I thought carefully before answering, trying to form my words so as not to incur her irritation again; "Eventually, I expect you to act as a wife should, in _all_ respects of the word – lover, partner, mother," my eyes simmered meaningfully. "But for the time being, it would be…helpful…if you would at least act the part in company. We are to have a guest from the Fae court in the castle upon the morrow, and she is expecting to see a loving couple."

"Loving couple, yeah right," she mumbled, turning her head away from me in a childish snit.

I pulled her face back to face me rather harshly. My own irritation was becoming harder to contain in light of her determination to relegate me back to the role of villain once again. "You must try to understand my position, Sarah. I realize you do not remember pledging yourself to me, but the fact of the matter is you did, and the entire Underground knows it. Therefore, it seems rather prudent that even if we try to forge this relationship slowly, we must present a united front in public."

"What exactly are you suggesting?"

"I propose a bargain. Your virtue for your complacency."

"Define _complacency_." Her eyes narrowed. I laughed softly as she echoed my earlier words.

"Simple. We continue getting to know one another as discussed without any undue pressuring on my part. However, for the eyes of the kingdom, and the court, you conduct yourself as my true betrothed."

"That sounds…fair," her eyes narrowed. Trust my Sarah not to agree easily to anything, not even when it benefited her more than anyone else, namely, me.

"You must listen and agree to my terms first, precious, lest you cry false against me afterwards,"

"Fine. What are the terms?"

"Were you truly ensconced as my betrothed, we would be sharing a bed," I paused at the exact moment she opened her mouth to object, just as I knew she would. "I give my word that I will not force anything upon you before you are ready, but I do expect you to begin allowing us the freedom to explore one another. I know you are innocent, Sarah. I promise you that I can be an excellent and patient teacher."

She swallowed audibly and wrapped her arms more tightly about herself. "What else?"

"You will share your day with me and allow me innocent liberties in the presence of others, namely the right to touch your hand or waist…to kiss you," I explained. "Think of it as the proper courtship we never had, dearest."

"And what exactly is in it for me?"

I had to force myself to step back from her and take several cleansing breaths before constructing an answer. This…girl…this ungrateful, human girl could never fail to cut me off at the proverbial knees with her callous comments. "What is in it for you? Aside from myself? How about honoring promises you made in good faith? How about remaining as a guest in this castle? Believe me, Sarah, there are far greater hardships which could await you in the Underground, where not even your status as my wife would save you."

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" She groused, turning to gaze absently over the balcony.

My temper flared dangerously at her words; the same sentiment that had been spoken only a few hours before by another underling. Though, Sarah's predicament was hardly worth the same protestation as the hobgoblin's. Surely, her lot was not nearly as distasteful as playing a spy in an evil Fae's court?

I knew very well my anger stemmed from my battered pride. This woman openly admitted her want of me, yet denied me once again. Her will seemed to argue only for argument's sake, and I was quite frankly tired of it. We both knew very well that she was not as disgusted by me as she wanted to pretend, and her misplaced comments did not grant her the power she seemed desperate to cling to.

"No. You don't," I replied tersely.

She stepped away from the balcony and turned her attention back to me. "Well, then I guess I accept," her tone dripped with sarcasm.

My eyes narrowed and my jaw clenched, but I refused to fall for her bait. "Good."

She sighed and allowed her stiff posture to relax, almost a visual representation of her perceived defeat. "When does this little arrangement start?"

"Immediately." I moved closer to her and was pleased that she did not flinch away.

She yawned, trying to hide the action behind her hand. I smiled knowingly. Now that her lust had run its course, the Fae wine would induce a sense of tranquility that was nearly impossible to ignore. But I was far from done with her. True, I would be patient as promised, but she would suffer as I did. She would feel the true curse of lust coursing through her veins, just as I'd been forced to shoulder for six years.

"You're tired. Come. Rest here. No one will disturb you. Then tonight, we shall dine with our friends, and I will formally present you to the kingdom."

"The kingdom?" She questioned sleepily.

"Yes. Though, I shan't make you meet every subject this evening." I took her hand and walked her to my large bed, prompting her to sit on the edge. I even removed her shoes for her. I was nothing, if not attentive.

Her eyelids drooped helplessly as she lay back against the pillows of my bed. "I suppose a nap wouldn't hurt…you promise you won't touch me?" Her eyes widened marginally.

I gave her my most genuine smile. "I promise, precious. Not until you're ready." _"At least not with my hands…"_ I mentally added.

She stifled another yawn and curled into a ball, quickly succumbing to the effects of the wine and her own stress.

"Sleep well, Sarah mine. Pleasant dreams," I smirked as a crystal formed in my still ungloved hand. Inside the sphere, the familiar scene of our Goblin Ball whirled past, only this time I knew the ending would result in a much more sordid way. Sarah was about to partake in a sampling of _my_ lust for once. I pressed the crystal into her palm and stretched out beside her, letting my own eyes drift shut and my exhaustion finally claim my reality. She was right; a nap sounded lovely.

* * *

A/N: I just want to reiterate that this story moves slowly. Not everything is revealed in each chapter. This is only day 4. Sorry if it is too slow for you. As a lovely reviewer pointed out, this is a heavily character driven story and being first person POV, a lot of the behind the scenes stuff will not be revealed until the character(s) know it. Please hang in there. I hope the ride will be worth it. If you do have questions, or just want to chat about what is going on, just comment or message me. I write back to registered users!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all you wonderful people who continue reading, reviewing, alerting, and favoriting. It takes an enormous amount of motivation to keep up the writing pace. It helps knowing there are others who are just as interested in what will happen next as I am!


	12. The Turmoil of Trust

Discaimer: The wonderful tale of Labyrinth is not mine, nor are its characters. Trust me; if it were, Jareth would not be single. He he he.

A/N: Just to re-cap...At the end of chapter 10, Sarah and Jareth had reached an agreement that Sarah will act the part of the happy betrothed and allow them to get to know each other fairly in exchange for Jareth taking his demands for their physical relationship slowly. (Seems a bit off-balanced to me, but he'll pretend to do just about anything to make her happy, and do you honestly think he won't manipulate the situation to his benefit somehow?) Feeling a bit annoyed over making even more concessions to her, Jareth decides to grace Sarah with some of his...erm...feelings while she's sleeping off the Fae wine in his - soon to be their - chamber. This is ONLY Sarah's POV this time...Jareth's is nearly done and will pick up exactly where this leaves off, but it was just getting really long and I was anxious to post something after such a ridiculous amount of time. So, I hope you enjoy:)

Chapter 11

The Turmoil of Trust

**Sarah's POV**

_Cackling voices entwined with the tinkling of crystal meeting crystal and the lustful sighs of ecstasy escaping lips of lovers embracing. Naked skin met wanting flesh; caressing, devouring, seducing. Masks lay discarded amidst piles of fluttering gossamer, silk, and pearls, and light glistened off of sweat-laden skin. Ethereal music pulsated in tempo with the aromatic waves of desire touching every living creature trapped within the glass domed room. Blonde hair tangled with raven locks in woven strands while curious fingers brushed over silken flesh and tongues tasted…_

"_Jareth…"_

Someone was touching my breast. My feet kicked at whatever was holding them captive as I struggled to escape my mind's carnal festivities. Whoever was 'taking liberties' with me, as the Underground folk liked to say, was about to get a knee to the groin.

My eyes finally opened to reveal a most disturbing sight, in perfect synchronization with an embarrassingly deep moan from within my chest. My _own hand_ was massaging my front and the other was shamefully creeping down my hip. I quickly dropped them both to the sheets and pushed myself into a sitting position before rubbing my eyes as if I could somehow scrub the sinful thoughts from my brain.

"Pleasant dreams, Sarah? You know, I'd be more than happy to lend you a hand…"

"_Oh God please let that voice belong to anyone but him!"_ Of course I knew it didn't; no one else had ever held such power over me with just words. His voice in that moment felt completely tangible like silk rubbing over naked skin…like the dream.

I screwed my eyes shut and counted slowly to ten before shoving my hair behind my ears and proceeding to untangle the sheets from around my legs. My pulse literally throbbed low in my body and a light sheen of sweat still clung to my skin. I could still taste the heady perfume of desire from the dream within the confines of Jareth's chamber. I was positively drowning in lust and could scarcely breathe over the feeling. It was absolutely terrifying.

I kicked harder at the sheets, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Once free, I fought the urge to rub my thighs together in pursuit of some kind of friction, and nearly succeeded before draping my legs over the side of the bed and turning to examine the fading light spilling in from the open curtains. Looking at _him_ in this state would be very, very bad.

I concentrated on taking deep, even breaths and walked towards the balcony. The cool, fragrant breeze helped clear my senses and I forced myself to replace the kaleidoscope of images stampeding through my thoughts by counting the number of chimneys in the cluster of houses beyond the courtyard walls. At forty-two, I finally let myself turn to face him.

"What time is it?" I asked as calmly as possible, praying it didn't sound as much like the unfulfilled whimper that I knew it was.

"Nearly time for the evening meal. You've slept the day away, dearest." He snapped the book he was holding shut and proceeded to stand, stretching his arms over his head as he did so. I was sure he realized the action flexed his lean muscles to their best advantage, seeing as he hadn't bothered to close his shirt. And damn it, he was still barefoot! I groaned before clamping a hand over my mouth with embarrassment.

A lazy, yet seducing grin settled over his features. "What's the matter, precious? You seem flushed." He began approaching me with all the grace and swagger of a predatory lion, made only more realistic by his unruly mane of hair.

I cleared my throat sharply and looked for a distraction to keep my body from taking over my brain and launching myself at Jareth. My eyes settled upon the book he was reading; its red cover was a dead giveaway. "You were reading _The Labyrinth_?"

"Yes, I picked it up in your apartment earlier this morning, well, technically last night. Trans-dimensional travel can be _so_ confusing at times…"

My eyes narrowed marginally.

"It really is quite a fascinating tale," he smiled beatifically before handing the book to me. "And it really does set itself up perfectly for a sequel. Tell me, dearest, what sort of continuation shall we give it?"

I was beginning to recognize the slightest differences in his smirks. While I was quite sure all of them were intended to irritate me in some way, there was a distinctive purpose for each. For example, there was a noticeable lift to the corner of his eye with the one he currently wore that indicated he was feeling playful and simply wanted to joke with me. My usual reaction to any of his smirks was to throw up my version of porcupine quills – a prickly defense intended to drive him away before he could really affect me – so perhaps I surprised us both when I simply smirked back at him and took the book calmly.

"I did mean to thank you for sending Raelle with some of my stuff. Though, I'm just as equally mad that you felt it necessary to deceive me even so far as my friends are involved." I felt my eyes darken in conjunction with my cool tone.

His head tilted again, measuring me much like I imagined his owl counterpart would. "You're not _really_ mad, precious. You want to be, but secretly you're delighted to have a familiar presence here."

I wanted to find some caustic reply to take down his smugness level, but I couldn't, and he knew it. So, I opted for not saying anything at all. He stalked closer to me, ever the hunter regardless of which creature I compared him to. His eyes stayed level with mine like I was his prey, which, I undoubtedly was. My internal mechanisms froze in confusion, wanting to both move forward and back. I held my ground even as he wrapped his arms about my waist and turned my body into his lightly. Waves of residual lust from that hedonistic dream roiled over my skin, but I managed to stay completely still, neither flinching, nor throwing myself at him. Progress at last.

"I missed you while you slept, precious thing." Ever so slowly, he raised his still gloveless hand and ran one fingertip over my cheekbone before sliding his hand behind my hair to lightly cup my neck. As before, jolts of what felt like electricity flickered across every inch of skin he touched, settling into the most delicious inferno where his palm rested. The flames seemed to spread through my entire body. My lungs sucked in air of their own accord and my knees trembled. The expression, 'playing with fire' was never more appropriate, and I didn't doubt for a second that with Jareth, I would definitely get burned.

I pulled back from his embrace with as much tact as I could, but of course he wasn't ready to let me go. "Umm, I should probably go get ready for dinner."

"No parting kiss for your husband?"

"You said we only had to act that way in public," I replied stubbornly, though almost every single part of my body was more than willing to try out his kiss again.

"I also recall you agreeing to allow us to grow closer." He took a small step forward, effectively pinning me to his front once again. His fingertips now traced a purposeful trail from my waist up to my ribs over and over again. "It's just a kiss, Sarah." He smiled, or was it a leer?

"I seem to remember you saying that last time," I whispered, but tilted my head up just the same.

Our eyes locked together. I watched as his face drew nearer, relishing the ripple of delight that raced through my whole body at just the thought of what he might do. I could feel his breath against my lips and I parted my own, nearly tasting him upon the air. Anticipation marched over my skin and drummed in my heart until I thought I might choke on it. Just as our mouths were about to touch, he shifted and placed a feather-light kiss against my cheek instead and then instantly released me with a maddening chuckle rumbling from his chest.

His irritating laughter echoed through my mind long after he sauntered past me to enter his bathing chamber, and even followed me as I crossed back to the room I'd been using since my arrival. I slammed the door shut for the second time that day and blinked furiously as tears swarmed my eyes. I had absolutely no idea why I was crying, other than an overwhelming sense of being…overwhelmed, and more than a little confused.

I had agreed to give this union a fair try, and it was more than obvious to both of us that we desired one another, but something continued to hold me back. It was as if I somehow _knew_ that consenting fully to him would be the ultimate defeat.

_And what exactly do you have left to lose, Sarah? It's not like you're ever going back…_

"But how do I really know that for sure?" I whined out loud to the empty room. How could I ever know there was truly no hope?

"I'll just have to keep stringing him along for as long as I can…" I sighed as I flopped down on the bed.

_Riiight…Good luck with that!_

Great. Now even my own conscience was smirking at me! Though I knew it to be absolutely true, and odds were very good that he knew it too, otherwise he'd never have made the arrangement to give me more time so long as I didn't avoid him. My lips pulsed lightly at the surge of memories attacking my brain of our morning…_encounter. _The intensity I felt from just kissing him frightened me. I'd imagined it so many times, but nothing could ever truly have prepared me for how my whole being seemed to wake up at his touch. Was it just because he was Fae? Surely it couldn't be like that for humans, they'd never stop lip-locking! And more terrifying still was how willing I was to experience it again. I should be glad, not annoyed, that he didn't kiss me again. I was going to have to be much more careful where he was concerned.

I sighed deeply and pulled the pillow over my face, completely forgetting the owl feather I'd stashed under it. The downy strands tickled my nose and I made to grab it away – possibly to crumble it in frustration – but as soon as my fingertips made contact, the feather seemed to shimmer and twisted its shape. A heavy rectangular item fell from my grasp to the floor with a dull thud. I wrestled with the increasingly overruled logical part of my brain for a solid minute before reaching down to pick up whatever it was that His Majesty had seen fit to give me.

I quickly wished I hadn't. What I'm sure was intended as a caring gesture could very well have been the cruelest joke he'd ever played. Staring out from behind a thin panel of glass set in a wooden frame was a picture of Toby and my father. I remembered taking that picture only a few months ago when Toby had caught a pop-fly at his T-Ball game. He had been so proud, and from the beaming grin on my dad's face, it was clear Robert Williams was equally so. I remembered feeling simultaneously happy and jealous at that moment, just like always. There were no pictures of me and my father that could even compare. I was simply born into my family at the wrong time. Too late to enjoy the love of my parents, and too soon to belong to Toby's family.

I laughed sharply. Family. Jareth expected to make a family with me – the girl who had never belonged and had absolutely no clue what it was to play the role of loving wife and mother. For crying out loud, I'd wished away my own baby brother! No, kids were definitely not on my immediate horizon. This was just another shred of proof that he didn't really know me at all.

A decidedly impatient knocking began at the door. I quickly covered the picture with a corner of the bedspread before making my way hesitantly towards the noise, unashamedly suspicious over who might be visiting so soon after I had just returned across the hall. A short green creature in holey jeans and a flannel pushed the door open and darted into the room before I could even open my mouth.

"So? How did it go this morning?" Raelle's yellow eyes flashed sinfully. I admit, despite having been shown the proof of her natural nature only hours before, it was still the teensiest bit disconcerting to see my friend reduced to a green version of a Smurf. True, she was a strangely pretty, lithe version of a Smurf, but her skin was green for crying out loud!

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I closed the door and proceeded to untie the ribbons at my shoulders.

"Nice try, Sar, but I know you were in Sire's chambers all day, and from the looks of your hair, some pillow action was involved." She wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

I snorted. "He wishes. Didn't so much as cop a feel, even _with_ the help of alcohol," I gloated, rather pleased by my apparent ability to fend off a full-blooded Fae male, until I remembered how close I had truly come to succumbing to him. The blush on my cheeks was a witness to the truth; I was only still pure because Jareth _could_ actually be a gentleman…in his own way.

"He gave you _Fae_ wine?" She shrieked.

I rolled my eyes and peeled the long sleeves of my gown off my shoulders and arms, letting the whole thing drop unceremoniously to the ground. "Yeah…the stuff knocked me out for hours, not to mention the dreams…" I halted my words as another surge of heat flowed across my face. I definitely had no plans of divulging details of that dream to anyone, let alone Rachel, erm, Raelle.

"What are you doing?"

I turned towards her suddenly accusatory voice while pulling a t-shirt over my head. Her unnatural eyes stared at me like I was caught in the act of committing some heinous crime.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting out of this ridiculous dress and into some more comfortable clothes…since you were so sweet as to bring my jeans back and all." I pulled the familiar cotton pants over my ankles and nearly moaned with delight at the comfort flooding through my being.

"Technically, it was His Majesty that was sweet, and I'm sorry but I have to put my foot down! You can't go to dinner dressed like that."

"Ooh, I'm really scared. You're like what, three feet tall now? You putting your foot down would be like me tapping my big toe. Besides, you're wearing jeans…don't you think you're being a little hypocri-"

I was interrupted by an over-stuffed pillow smacking against the side of my face.

I actually growled before leveling my deadliest glare at her.

"My, my, we are in a mood. Wake up on the wrong side of the King's bed?"

"You're lucky I'm speaking to you at all! Besides, I thought you were making yourself scarce so _big bad Aetia_ didn't know you were here."

She snorted before flopping down into one of the chairs by the fireplace. "Whatever. She can bite me. And why are you getting so upset now? You were fine earlier."

"Yeah, well maybe it just took a little while to sink in," I grumbled while plaiting my long hair into a sloppy braid. "I mean, how could you, Ray? How would you feel if you found out I was only pretending to be what I was, and the next thing you knew I was helping kidnap you to some far away land where the ruler wanted you for a slave?"

She rolled her eyes and mimicked playing a violin. "Really, Sar…could you be any more dramatic?"

With a huff, she stood and began rummaging through my closet. Her voice, though muffled, called out with an edge of impatience as if she were speaking to a child. "I refuse to allow you to be upset about this. What's done is done. You're here, I'm here, you're married to the King, and if you play your cards right, you'll live happily ever after, yadda, yadda, yadda."

She reemerged, her arms overflowing with piles of glittery fabric which she dumped in the chair she'd been sitting in, before standing right before me. "So get it all out. And then…Move. On."

Her sudden break in character was enough to stun me to temporary silence. She sounded so…grown-up for once and I honestly didn't know how to deal with her. And she clearly was not really the least bit sorry for her part in all this. It was nearly as frustrating as dealing with Jareth. Why couldn't they understand how I was feeling?

_Because they aren't human, Sarah! You may as well ask yourself why you can't understand how they are feeling._

My voice was quiet and calm when I finally found it. "I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm being totally honest, Raelle;" I paused after saying her real name for the first time, "this whole situation is pretty ridiculous to me, and I'm having a really hard time accepting that this is my life now. But I told Jareth I'm going to try, and I guess I'll make the same promise to you."

I sat on the edge of the bed and didn't flinch when she took a seat beside me. Her tiny fingers began untangling my hair in a way so familiar it made me ache for home. "Duh," she laughed softly. My eyes met her face and I had to smile at her charming little grin. "What is it you humans like to say? Rome wasn't built in a day?" Her eyes softened until she looked almost repentant. "But for what it's worth, I _am_ sorry, Sarah. Not for you being here, but for lying to you and for playing a part in making you feel this way."

And just like that, the edge of my irritation faded. I resigned myself not to be mad at her anymore, but I would be careful. Despite their unnatural color, her lemony eyes shone with the same affection she'd always shown me while playing human. I had to accept that her allegiance would unfortunately always stand with her King first, but she did care about me, and her friendship was real.

"Okay, so there is still one thing about all this I don't understand," I forced my face into a serious expression and gave her my best stern look. "If you knew all along I was meant to come back here and marry Jareth, why oh why did you force me on all those horrible dates? The last guy never even showed up!"

"Relax. I knew none of those losers would ever interest you. In fact, there was nobody on Earth that could 'coz you were already promised to His Majesty. See, if you'd grown up here, you'd understand about claims and courtships and marriage, but you didn't, so you'll just have to trust me. You were never in any danger of falling in love with anyone but His Majesty, so I didn't think it was a big deal for you to get some practice at being around guys, not to mention it certainly helped _me_ out in the romance department. Plus, the last guy did show up, you just don't remember it, so stop being so pissy!"

I didn't even know where to begin. My mind was scrambling to pick through the wealth of information that had just spewed from her mouth. She seemed to realize she'd unleashed more than planned because one look at my puzzled yet increasingly irate face and she clamped a hand over her lips and her eyes widened in panic.

"Shit."

"I double that emotion," I retorted flatly.

"Umm, probably best not to tell Sire about all that…I can explain, I swear…"

"You'd better."

"See, I was actually supposed to make sure no other guy…um…touched you, if any ever got a chance to get that close. But, I could tell pretty much from the get-go that you were already completely gone on someone else," she paused and actually smiled sweetly. "It was actually sorta cute the way you were so head over heels for him even though you thought you'd made him up…I know you tried to hide it, but that's sort of impossible to do around a hobgoblin."

"Get to the point," I growled, completely bypassing the knowledge that Jareth had essentially slapped 'Rachel' on me as some warped version of a chastity belt. _Sire_ and I could discuss that later.

"Right. Okay, so I decided to change my mission – unbeknownst to Sire of course – and get you to loosen up a little so that when you finally did come face to face with your dream guy…" she grinned again. At this point she was lucky I wasn't trying to suffocate that smiling face with the pillow she'd launched at me. "…you wouldn't pass out at the sight of him in all his sensual glory."

I coughed, or maybe sputtered was a better word choice. Sensual glory? That was the second time my 'friend' had alluded to the fact that she more than appreciated my 'husband's' attributes. Raelle had never been one for tact, that was for sure, but after lying to me for six months, forcing me on a string of bad dates for my supposed own good, and delivering me almost lock, stock and barrel virtuous and pure to what I considered to be a figment of my imagination, one would think she'd be a bit more embarrassed by her actions, or at the very least, not nearly as ballsy as she was.

"Raelle, you said before that the last date never showed, but just now you said he did and I just didn't remember. Which was it?"

"Did I? Silly me, must have had too much Vodka this morning…" She scrambled off the bed and made for the door. I grabbed her hair. Low blow to be sure, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

"Raelle…" I warned in a sing-song voice. "Don't make me tug."

I blinked furiously as the black hair wrapped around my fingers transformed into a pale, silvery blonde color that I recognized all too well. Raelle's entire body blurred before transforming into an exact replica of her arrogant king. Dropping my hand entirely, I stumbled back from the Jareth clone and ended up on my rear end in the middle of the chamber.

"You dare touch the King?" She attempted to make her voice low and commanding but somehow her naturally high, tinny voice just couldn't get that arrogant posturing thing down pat.

Realizing it was actually still Raelle the hobgoblin, and not some other trick of His Majesty's, I stood with a smirk on my lips. "Wouldn't you just like to know?" I snickered.

Her borrowed eyes attempted to harden, but within a moment, they filled with laughter and her body blurred again, this time settling on the image of Aetia. "My lady, such provocative thoughts you have."

"At the moment, my thoughts are rather murderous."

"Sarah Williams, you mind your tone right now!" This time the voice was a near perfect match to accompany the image of my step-mother.

I gasped and backed up a step. Somehow, the sight of someone from home was far more powerful to me than anything else.

Warm hands enveloped my bare arms almost immediately. I realized Raelle was once again the familiar human woman I'd befriended. "Oh, shit, Sar; I'm such an idiot. I didn't even think!"

I shook my head and forced a small smile on my lips, not really willing to delve into the subject of home and family with her. "It's fine. Can you really…emulate anyone you want?"

She grinned her wicked grin; the one I'd seen numerous times right before she set off on one of her conquests to get a hot guy to fall hopelessly in love with her. In the next thirty seconds, I was treated to a veritable visual buffet of some of the most popular musicians and movie stars on the planet. By the time her form settled on a perfect replica of Homer Simpson, we were near tears from laughter. Honestly, the emotional roller coaster I'd stepped on since returning to my room was enough to induce multiple personality disorder or something. However, her talent could prove to be useful.

"Ray…do you know anything about the visitors we're supposed to be getting tomorrow?"

She snorted. "You mean Aralia?" She shifted again into the epitome of a fairy princess. Long hair the color of autumn leaves coated in gold dust cascaded over a perfect hour glass figure. Ice blue eyes framed by inky lashes fluttered amidst a face that was both angular and soft, complete with full rosy lips. "Oh look at me, I'm _so_ beautiful. I'm just _so_ perfect in every way. Don't you just love me?"

Before I could comment, the impossibly beautiful woman actually seemed to shed her skin like a snake, revealing an old crone that reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the West. "If beauty really were skin deep, _this_ is what she would look like." She continued to mumble a string of rather colorful expletives.

"Let me guess; you like her just as much as you do Aetia?"

The ugly old woman immediately transformed back into Raelle's usual hobgoblin form. "Oh my freakin' god, Sarah. She is so much worse than Aetia! You have no idea!"

"Is it just these two that piss you off so much, or is it all women of the Underground?"

"If you're trying to suggest that I'm jealous, you can just wipe that little grin right off your face. You'll see what I mean. Just take my advice, and don't let her be alone with Sire. She's poison."

"Then why on earth is he letting her come here?"

"Well, it's not like he really has a choice. He may be in charge in this kingdom, but even he has to take orders from the High King."

"Which would be his father," I said with just the slightest tone of sarcasm. Seriously, what fully grown adult cared so much what their parents said?

"It's more complicated than that," she whined, obviously frustrated with this line of questioning.

"Fine," I sighed. "But it would be really nice if someone would just fill me in sometime." _I'm not as stupid as you all seem to think._

"Sar, please believe me when I say I want to tell you, but I can't. It's not my place."

"Can't you at least tell me why I can't remember that last date? It has something to do with Jareth, doesn't it?" My eyes narrowed like imaginary tractor beams. I could read in her face that she was hoping I'd just let this go, but I wasn't nearly as afraid of her as I was Jareth, and she couldn't distract me the way he could.

I saw it the moment she caved – like a flame flickering out on a candle – but I kept my face perfectly calm. "I…I can't really tell you why you don't remember, but I will say, your date's name was Jared. He was tall, blonde, and gorgeous, and unlike any of your other dates, you fell right into his arms."

She zipped her lips, patted my arm, and added, "Now please don't mention this little display of my talent to His Majesty. Technically it's against the rules to impersonate a living Fae."

"As opposed to a dead one?" I replied cheekily. If I was honest with myself, I couldn't decide whether I was more annoyed at the fact that he'd obviously played the human for me, or that I couldn't remember it.

"Hardy, har, har. You're a laugh riot, Sar!" She stepped over to the massive pile of gowns and pulled three out, flinging them to the bed. Unfortunately, all her flouncing around shifted the cover off of the picture frame I'd stashed. I made to grab it, but of course she was quicker. "Where the hell did this come from? I didn't pack anything like this, I thought it would just make you-" Her words cut off immediately. She had a nasty habit of doing that.

"Would make me what, sad? Make me realize once again that I was kidnapped from my family? Albeit a family that barely seemed to want me…" I mumbled the last bit, but I'd no doubt she'd heard me anyway.

She sighed; a long suffering sound full of a multitude of words she wisely kept to herself. There was absolutely no point in starting our discussion over again. One step forward and all that.

A little smile graced her lips as she looked upon the two males that had previously been the center of my world, no matter how much I felt like an outsider. "Toby was always such a cute little thing. Remember the time he put his toy cars all over your floor as some sort of booby trap, or alarm or something because he was so sure goblins were sneaking into your room?"

Even I had to smile wryly at the memory. _Oh, if only his efforts had worked…_

"Just imagine how cute yours and Jareth's kids will be."

I felt myself begin to shut down again as her simple sentence echoed through my head. How in the world did she manage to hit upon the issue I had only moments before been completely freaked out about? I stood very slowly as if my careful movements would somehow keep me from shaking apart. "Um, yeah, I'm not even sure I want kids."

An expression of complete incredulity struck her face before she hid it under a mask of indifference that I was noticing the Underground folk were _all_ too adept at. "Does…does Sire know you feel this way?"

I fussed with my hair at the mirror and shrugged. No. _Sire_ did not know, and I knew _Sire_ would not be happy. I also suspected it wouldn't matter how I felt; which was yet another reason why it was so important that I not give in to him. "We haven't really discussed that. It's a bit soon to be worrying about things like that. I mean, we hardly know each other, and from what I understand about life spans down here, it's not like we're about to run out of time." I tried for a laugh, but even to my ears it sounded like the bark of nervous hyena.

From the reflection in the mirror, Raelle's eyes widened and she looked nearly as frozen as I felt. "What is it? What aren't you telling me now?" I groaned as I turned towards her.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Her soft voice was in direct conflict with her words. After a moment of silence, she shuddered and her face was once again adorned with her peppy smile. I tried not to think about how disconcerting that was. How many times had she used that façade of optimism to hide the truth from me? Had anything she said really been the truth? A sliver of unease slid down my spine nonetheless. I desperately wanted to trust Raelle. I even wanted to trust Jareth, if for no other reason than the hope that somehow this whole situation could miraculously end well and I could have my happily ever after. But trust was the one thing that could cost me more than anything.

I let my eyes convey just how much I wasn't buying what she was selling, while she in turn made it clear that no amount of friendship or coaxing would make her talk. The whole situation was too tiring for words and I was suddenly annoyed with myself for thinking, even for a moment, that I could just sit back and relax and let it all unfold around me. If it took bargaining with a Fae king and maintaining a defensive wall around my friend in order to keep my head above water here, then so be it.

"Fine. If sharing time is over, then I think it is time for the little green girl to go make mischief somewhere else. Apparently I have a state dinner to get ready for, and I'm sure His Majesty wouldn't appreciate me being late because of a little girl talk," I grouched while opening the door of my chamber and looking at Raelle expectantly.

"Cold. Real cold, Sar," her sunny yellow eyes twitched with irritation.

"Yes well, it's not like you don't have it coming to you."

"Touche." She touched two fingers to her brow in some sort of salute or courtly gesture. "Fine. I'm going, but before I do..." she looked me over slowly, starting with my feet and ending with my hair. "There. Much better. Can't have you lookin' a rag-a-muffin in front of lover boy!" She scooted out the door cackling merrily, bowing somewhat clumsily as Jareth passed her just beyond the doorframe.

Heat spread through my cheeks at her parting comment – one he no doubt heard quite clearly – and in response to the feral look blooming in his eyes as he looked me over thoroughly.

"Sarah; you are feast for the eyes."

He walked in that slow, feline way of his until he was behind me. His fingers teased through my hair before resting on my shoulders, turning my body so we faced the large mirror on the wall. Not surprisingly, Raelle had dressed me to match him, though I had no idea how she knew what he'd be wearing. Both our outfits were varying hues of green. My gown was once again a medieval monstrosity. _And to think you used to wear these for fun!_

His eyes locked on mine in the mirror and it was nearly impossible to remember that I was annoyed with him…again. I was so tired of being annoyed. So tired of being on my guard every second. It would be so much easier to just. stop. fighting.

_Easier, but not smarter._

I blinked slowly as I internally reorganized my troops. "Thank you. You look very handsome yourself," I spoke quietly and with little emotion. But my compliment obviously pleased him, if his sexy little grin was any indication.

"I have a surprise for you."

It sounded too much like 'I've brought you a gift' for my liking, but for the benefit of our truce, I tried to look excited. "I thought we had some fancy dinner to go to?"

"We do." His smile widened and he offered me his arm. "Trust me?"

_Absolutely not!_ I thought, but I placed my hand on his arm regardless, and gasped softly when he pulled me tightly to him. As before, the room shimmered and stretched before seeming to peel away from itself. Within the blink of an eye, we stood in the doorway to the banquet hall. Three of the dearest creatures I'd ever met sat surrounding the enormous table looking hysterically uncomfortable.

I blinked several times to make sure this wasn't some mirage, before turning to smile genuinely at the beautiful man at my side. "You did this for me?"

"Of course, my dear. As I've said, none dine with the King…usually. Did you think I'd make such a grand exception for just anyone?"

Some of my gratitude waned at his ever-ready smirk. He was exorbitantly pleased with himself. I couldn't let him realize just how glad I was to see all my friends together. I respectfully unwrapped my hand from his arm and ran to the three souls who had risked their very lives to help me once upon a time, wrapping each in a happy embrace before stepping back to realize each looked quite different than normal.

"Hoggle, what in the world are you wearing? And Sir Didymus…and Ludo?" My eyes swept over my friends one at a time, trying to make sense of their apparel. Hoggle's normal cream shirt and leather vest were replaced by a black dinner coat complete with a polka dotted bow-tie. Sir Didymus wore what appeared to be a tiny navy suit –doll clothes? – and Ludo…his usually matted fur had been shellacked into straight lines plastered flat to his head, on which he wore a bowler hat. Two tiny gold ribbons were wound around his horns.

Hoggle groaned and hid his face in his hand. "She made us. Says we had to look presentable since we wuz dinin' with the King." His grubby finger pointed towards the pale green female standing by the far end of the table.

My gaze flittered unconsciously to Jareth, registering that he was having just as much difficulty as I was at keeping a straight face.

Meanwhile, Raelle was positively brimming with pleasure. She bounced from one foot to another, hands clasped in front of her, and a huge smile on her face. "Aren't they great? I got all of it in that thrift store where we found your sofa!"

"The lady doth have excellent taste," Sir Didymus' voice extolled valiantly as he preened his paws over his suit coat.

Ludo groaned and lifted his much larger hand to his head, poking at the ridiculous hat like it was going to bite him. "Ludo feel stwange," he lamented.

Hoggle merely groaned again and did his very best impression of someone desperately wishing he could disappear through a hole in the floor.

It was all too much. The turmoil I'd been subjected to in these past five days – the secrets, the plotting, the riddles, the near constant seduction and manipulation into false security – and now this most ridiculous sight…I cracked. Laughter bubbled forth from my throat before I could do anything about it. I'm talking the side-splitting, tears in your eyes, almost silent sobbing kind of laughter. A hand gripping my hip alerted me that I was not alone in my current state. From the corner of my eye I observed His Majesty bent over at the waist, gasping for breath as great peals of laughter echoed through the hall. He held on to me in an effort to stay upright. I'd heard his laughter before, but it had never sounded so joyous and genuine. I laughed even harder at the realization that he probably thought I was truly only amused, rather than being nuttier than a peanut butter sandwich.

A small huff of disapproval managed to filter through our merriment. Raelle was tapping her foot, arms crossed at the ready, and scowling.

"Some people just don't appreciate good fashion sense."

"Sorry, Ray, it's just…" My words trailed off as I was attacked by another round of snickering.

"Well I think they look nice. This is a special occasion and I'm sorry, but have you _seen_ their normal clothes?"

"Yes, well, there is little need for costumes. One should be who they are." The words were plain enough, but Jareth couldn't seem to keep the holier than thou quality from his voice, as if he were above all these shenanigans.

I immediately saw red. But I couldn't just start yelling. We had an _agreement._

I swallowed my wrath until it was a simmering ball of fire in my stomach. "Oh really? Well, you're one to talk…Jared," I fluttered my eyelashes at him sweetly, secretly dancing for joy at the suddenly uncomfortable expression marring his perfectly arrogant face.

* * *

A/N: What can I say...I really am ashamed that it took so long to update. I am currently working on three stories and NONE have had a recent update. My muse was not only absent, I think it was chained in a basement or something. This chapter was probably the hardest thing I've ever written. I had three sections of it done for so long, but couldn't link them together. I'm still not sure I like it...but there are parts that I do? LOL. And though it probably seems like filler, I can say I laced it with a lot of important information about the characters. Also, I hope it speaks to those of you who felt she forgave Raelle too soon. Sarah is very, very confused. She vacillates between being smitten with Jareth and positively loathing him. Can you blame her for trying to cling to something familiar? She is realizing that she is being made the pawn and she can't really put her faith in anyone. Plus, it has not even been a week since she went Underground. She has not really grasped the concept that she is there to stay. Slooooowww burn...

Jareth's POV is nearly done and will be posted as his own chapter hopefully very soon. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited this story. It really does mean a lot to me and if you made it this far, I thank you again for sticking with me. I have no right to ask for it - as delinquent as I am - but I would treasure your reviews if you saw fit to leave one for me:) Ludo in a bowler hat will give you hugs if you do...


	13. To Irritate or to Instigate

Disclaimer: Labyrinth and The Wizard of Oz are not mine (but Raelle, Aetia, and Aralia are!) I make no profit from this, it is all for fun:) There is a hint of a reference to Twilight her also, though not a full fledged one.

A/N: I am going to go out on a limb and say this is probably my most favorite chapter to date. Firstly, I LOVE writing Jareth's POV, he is a blast, especially when exploiting his jealousy with Hoggle. (Cue "Bosom companions..._friends_...") I worked really hard on his characterization in this one (all his haughty, snarky, sexy, immature, frustrated goodness!), and you also get to learn some new stuff about him, his castle, and his relationships. I am super excited to post this and hear what y'all think. I hope you enjoy it as much I as I did writing it!

Chapter 12

To Irritate or to Instigate

**Jareth's POV**

There was a delightful little adage I'd once overheard on one of my numerous trips Aboveground that man could neither live with nor without woman. My initial reaction had been to dismiss the human saying as utter rubbish not even worthy of the addled prophet in the center of the Labyrinth; after all, it was a given that man could not _live_ without woman, as they were the givers of life, and he certainly _could_ live with them, as most of us had at one point lived with at least a female relation if not a lover or spouse. Granted, my own experience living with women was limited to the few years my mother was alive, and the time spent with my sister, but the equation still did not quite add up.

I had not thought of the expression in ages, but as I looked upon, no, _frowned_ upon the human woman and the female hobgoblin across from her, both snickering most unbecomingly at my expense, the sage advice rang true and clear.

"You're one to talk…Jared."

Well, well, well, it seemed little Sarah wanted the cat let out of the bag.

I tilted my head and widened my eyes, the very mask of playful innocence; mask being the operative word, of course. "Why, whatever do you mean, dearest?"

"Just what were you doing at that restaurant anyway?"

Smirking, I tilted my head to the opposite direction, saying nothing. Realization dawned in her eyes nonetheless. "I was set-up."

"Took you awhile, didn't it, precious?" I chuckled lowly. "Did you really expect me to let you form any attachment to another man?"

The slight groan from the pesky dwarf and his accompanying glare in my direction did not escape my notice. He was no doubt recalling the less than pleasant 'chat' we'd engaged in after Sarah's stint in the Labyrinth. I was quite certain he would do all within his pathetic power to prevent _my_ Sarah's lips from ever touching any part of his repellant self again. My lips twitched infinitesimally in his direction at the reminder and his eyes quickly dropped.

"But why that night? It wasn't the first time Ray dragged me off on a double date."

"Yeah, that and he needed to give you-" The hobgoblin's breath nearly choked at the soft hiss releasing from my lips. Now was not the time, and certainly not the place, to discuss the real reason for my date with the lovely Sarah. If her reactions to what had befallen her so far were any indication, I could very well be facing castration once she discovered she bore a part of my soul.

"Give me what exactly?" Sarah's eyes darted back and forth between Raelle and myself. I could tell from the clouds gathering in her expression that she would not forget that little slip any time in the next millennia.

"Perhaps I was just feeling impatient, my dear. After six years, or rather much longer in Underground time, that last night of separation was just too much for my poor heart to bear." I smiled widely at her, my eyes glinting with playful adoration.

The vile dwarf sputtered noisily while ale spewed unceremoniously from his bulbous nose.

"I know you're lying. I know you're hiding something. You're _all_ hiding something."

I was quite surprised by how well she was managing her temper, in light of the fact that it was more than obvious by her flushed countenance and the rise in her breathing that she was growing more and more furious. Like watching a kitten pretend it was a tiger, I was more amused than anything.

"Are we?" I feigned an intentionally obvious expression of innocence and swept my gaze along each of our dinner guests before settling back on her blazing eyes. "Ah yes, I believe Hogbottom filched some of your roast while your back was turned. Do forgive the poor fellow. Dwarves are not known for their manners."

"Wuh? I swearz it ain't true, Sarah!" Despite my best efforts to remain completely sincere, I felt the corner of my mouth curve upwards at the look of pure consternation on Hoggle's face. He really was too easy to nettle, making it _all_ the more necessary for me to rile him at every opportunity. Though he needn't have worried; Sarah's accusing eyes never left _my_ face.

"Not. Funny." Her jaw tensed even more and a shiver of pure wrath emanated through our half-formed bond. The crueler aspect of my nature that generally delighted in the discomfort of others wanted nothing more than to continue instigating this reaction in her. After all, she was simply breath-taking when aroused in any form and I did have quite a penchant for games, particularly when the opposition was as worthy as she. But there was frustration and weariness residing in her as well, and damn that softness in my heart for wanting to take her in my arms and soothe every one of her concerns.

Her lips parted and it was clearly evident by her rather forceful gathering of breath that she was about to give everyone an earful. I cut her off swiftly. "Forgive me, dearest. I meant no harm." I reached out and placed my hand on hers, laughing inwardly at her slight flinch and appealing to her with my eyes to calm her temper.

She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly before muttering, "I suppose it can't be any worse than having a snake thrown at me."

"That old trick? I can't believe you still use that one." Raelle snorted before shoveling more food into her mouth, which unfortunately did not seem to deter her from continuing to speak. "Though I suppose it's better than when you used rats. Snakes don't make near the mess as rodents!"

"Rats? Are you serious?" Sarah looked at me with disbelief before her face broke into a stunning smile. If it weren't at my expense, I might not have minded the cause. As it were, I was shocked at the level of open disrespect launched at me from my subjects. At least the fox and the orange beast had the decency to look somewhat ashamed.

"Where'd yeh think I gots hiz nickname from?" The dwarf's toothy grin was the final straw.

"Enough!" I snapped. "This is hardly a topic of discussion appropriate for dinner." _"Not to mention I'm sitting right here and could have all of you in the Bog in less than a blink!"_ I added in my thoughts. Honestly, this conversation was spiraling out of control.

The resounding silence felt like a chill wind and I nearly regretted my outburst, but only for Sarah's sake. The rest of the ungrateful, treacherous lot should be counting their lucky stars that Sarah was present or they would be so buried in stench that a rotted corpse would smell like a rose in comparison to them.

I took Sarah's hand and raised it to my lips, brushing a soft kiss across her knuckle before facing our guests. A change in topic was definitely overdue. "Raelle, tell me, how is your Scott?"

She hiccupped once before whining, "He's not sure he wants to come with me. I told him how awesome it is here, and he says he loves me and all, but he doesn't know if he can leave his family."

"Ah, well family is a treasure. But fear not, fair lady, all will right itself in the end," the tiny fox spoke sweetly with the hint of a blush on his furry cheek.

I smiled politely at the knight's comment while secretly grimacing, my thoughts traveling once more to my own hopes for family and that blasted time limit.

"Speaking of which…just where exactly does _my_ family think I am? I know time passes more slowly Above, but I've still been missing for several days. I'm sure by now somebody's noticed." There was no mistaking the combined hope and threat in Sarah's voice.

My grimace worsened in my mind. While I knew this thread was inevitable, I certainly was not looking forward to it. "You don't exist," I spoke quietly, but with resolute firmness.

"What?"

"It was the kindest solution."

"You…you erased the memory of me? You can do that?"

"What else would I do to account for all the wished away children? Would you really rather your family thought something had befallen you?"

She was exceedingly quiet. A lone tear trailed across her porcelain skin and she did not bother to wipe it away. When she finally looked at me again, sad acceptance filled her expression.

My attentions had been thoroughly directed at Sarah, so the dwarf's throaty voice nearly startled me. I was not ashamed to admit I'd forgotten the presence of Sarah's motley crew.

"Iz for the best, Sarah. Everyone yeh love can go 'bout theirs business jus as if you wuz never born."

"And I can never see them again!" She snapped at her friend. The tears had instantly been replaced by shining fury. "I'm really never going home, am I?" Her voice broke on the last few words. In a whisper too quiet for any to hear but myself, she continued, "He really has won."

Her companions all dropped their gaze. Even Raelle was for once, wisely silent. In my periphery, Sarah's fingers twisted her napkin cruelly, and I felt the effect on my heart. Each beat was laced with the combination of her resigned sorrow and my own hurt as if the piece of me she carried was drowning in our mixed emotions. In my long, long life I had rarely experienced such utter turmoil in my countenance. Did I comfort her as she grieved or begrudge her for once again wounding me with her continued determination to refuse _us_?

I sighed and placed my fingertips to my temple as if to massage away my irritation. She had been doing so well! Though I supposed it was inevitable that her indignation would flare beyond her ability to dampen it. I stood calmly and affected a patient smile on my face. "Well, as _delightful_ as this experience has been, I find I am still rather exhausted. Come, Sarah, shall we retire?"

"Together?" Her beautiful eyes widened. I shifted my stance ever so slightly, and as perceptive as she was, it was enough to remind her of our bargain. "Oh. Right." She turned to her friends and offered a nervous smile before standing to place her hand in mine. "Good night everyone, I-I'll see you tomorrow?"

Raelle jumped from her chair and took Sarah's other hand between her own. She leaned in to whisper, "Give it a chance," before stepping back and snapping her fingers, effectively causing both herself and our other dinner guests to vanish. The fork Hogwash had been holding clattered loudly to the china plate, and then there was silence.

"My! People come and go so quickly here," Sarah mumbled under her breath.

I tilted my head in amusement as I recognized her quote. "Really, Sarah; if you're so interested in Oz just say the word…" I let my voice trail off in a vague sort of invitation while my own thoughts pondered what the bloody hell the hobgoblin was talking about.

"Thanks, but no thanks. So, n-now what?" She stammered.

I wondered at her sudden bout of nerves. Where had all her bravado gone? "Just one more stop, and then to bed." I offered her my arm and smiled again when she took it. With a thought, we transported to the crystal room at the center of the castle.

"This isn't your chamber," her voice whispered cautiously after taking a moment to let her vision adjust to the dim lighting.

"No. This is…how to explain…I suppose the easiest translation would be our version of a telecommunication center."

Her jade eyes widened as she circled slowly, no doubt examining every minute detail of the crystal laden room. Fleetingly, I tried to see this chamber as a mortal new to the realm might. Thousands of crystal message spheres were embedded into the stone walls, giving the effect of a large, glittering insect with infinite eyes. The crystals were quiet and still at the moment, but with the turn of a thought they could reveal any and every subject within my kingdom.

"Why would you bring me here?"

"To present you to our kingdom, of course." I smiled widely at her while delight danced in my heart. Nothing, not even her resistance and lack of enthusiasm, could detract from this moment.

With a wave of my hand – a warning motion made simply for Sarah's sake – the crystals literally came to life, showing the gnarled masks of the goblins, the ethereal visages of the Fae, and the soft faces of the humans. Within seconds, nearly every denizen of the Labyrinth was connected to the room and thousands of eyes dropped in reverence at the awareness of their King. Silence hung palpable in the air as the collective held their breath for whatever tidings would be shared. Such public gatherings were not commonplace.

"Good citizens of the Labyrinth and its Goblin Kingdom. I call to you this evening to announce great joy for your King and kingdom. Our Lady Sarah has returned home to take her rightful place as my betrothed.

Wordless but for the expression of pure solemnity saturating my eyes, I placed the mate to my pendant around Sarah's neck on a delicate silver chain. "Let this always be a symbol of your bond to me and to our Labyrinth."

A resounding cheer echoed throughout the chamber, but it paled in comparison to the thundering of my heart and the overwhelming sense of pride and awe emanating from my soul's connection to Sarah.

"That…that's it? I'm the Goblin Queen now?" She whispered as I caused the spheres to once again darken.

"No, precious. This was merely a step in that direction. I have formally declared you as my betrothed. As we've discussed, you become my full wife upon our…consummation."

"And your queen?"

"Yes, well. It is a tad more complicated than that." I placed my hands upon her shoulders and ushered her away from the crystals, hoping a little diversion would end this conversation. "Come, Sarah. Let us ready ourselves for bed."

"But-"

"This is a conversation best left for another time. Trust me. You really needn't worry about a thing."

I took her arm and shifted us before she could question me further. "And here we are; home sweet home," I sighed contentedly as I deposited us in front of the hearth in our chamber. _Our_ chamber. How I loved the sound of that thought.

She was very quiet as she stepped away from me and took in her surroundings. She'd been in here only hours earlier, but I suspected she had not allowed herself to really appreciate the grandeur of the suite amidst other…distractions. Her graceful hands trailed across the sheer fabrics adorning the walls as she circled the room.

"I hope you approve, dearest."

"It's very nice. These are actually my favorite colors." Her voice was so soft and hesitant that you'd think she'd just revealed a tremendous secret about herself. And I guessed in a way she had when considering this was the first personal bit of information she had willingly shared with me. My heart warmed at the sentiment and the approval.

"I'm glad. This is your home now too, and I want you to be comfortable."

She nodded once and continued her perusal. A heavy silence settled around us like a rain-soaked cloud ready to burst. Rain could be a blessing or a curse and it seemed neither of us wanted to upset the tenuous truce.

I finally found my voice again as she paused before the large mirror concealing our wardrobe. I brushed to her side and pressed the knob responsible for opening the door. "I had Aetia move your belongings here whilst we dined. I believe you will find your night clothes in the first drawer on your right."

Her head nodded again while her impossibly large eyes stared unblinkingly at the neatly hung clothing filling the space. I smiled both at her and the sight of our garments side by side, but her face was anything but happy. I reached down to take her hand, but she pulled it away sharply. A rush of unease flashed through me and I realized Sarah's stillness was not simply due to the awkwardness of our new situation, but because she was absolutely terrified. She would never say anything of course, certainly not to me, yet it was as clear as one of my crystals that despite our agreement, she still didn't trust me.

I was quite torn on how to act. It was as if the three parts of me – Fae, king, and man – each had their own agenda. Since reclaiming her for my own, this had been the moment I had been striving for. And now that she stood in my chamber, in _our_ chamber, agreeing to be my wife, I had no idea what to do next. The Fae wanted to play on her fears and push her as far as the boundaries of our bargain would allow, simply in response to the irritation of her continued mistrust. The king cared little for the bargain, as it grossly interfered with duty, and was a breath away from taking what was rightly his, trust be damned. But the man was most problematic of all, because he was the most vulnerable. Of course I wanted her, but I wanted _her_ love and faith more.

I stepped closer and placed a brief kiss upon her hair, still not sure which side of my personality would reign. "Perhaps you would like a moment to change into something more comfortable?"

Her eyes shot to my face as she gasped. I winced as her jolt of anxiety tightened like a fist around my soul. But it was enough to reunite my fractured psyche. A slow grin spread across my lips and into my eyes. "Relax, precious. I have no intent to ravish you…tonight that is."

The slightest release of the tension in her frame was her only response. I left her to her thoughts and slipped into the bathing chamber adjoining the bedroom on the pretense of giving her some privacy. Her silence continued to puzzle me. Where was the tiger from dinner? Or the fiery seductress from earlier? Was this cold, tense reserve of hers merely a manifestation of her anxiety over spending the night with me? In spite of my rather distinguished sexual history, I had never dealt with a true innocent, but I had made it clear that I would not touch her beyond her comfort level, so her silent treatment was rather infuriating. Did she not understand what a sacrifice I was making for her? How dare she act as though I was a pariah intent on stealing her virtue simply for sport?

I exhaled deeply as I met my own eyes in the mirror. Eyes were supposed to be a reflection of the soul, and mine were no different. One dark and one light – the product of my mixed heritage and the source of my constant inner battle. What was it I had told her once? _"I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel…"_ How very apropos. If only she knew the effort it took to control that darker aspect of my nature, a trial I only bore with regularity for her. Would she ever realize that? It _was_ exhausting to live up to her expectations, particularly when she tried to deny them at every turn!

I splashed some cold water on my face in a last attempt to banish my irritation. Regardless of my desire to storm back through that door and make her just as miserable as she was making me, I knew I had to 'be the bigger person' as the Aboveground folk always tossed about. I was the more experienced, mature party in this relationship. But I wasn't going to allow her to shirk her end of the bargain. She could retain her virtue for another evening, but I _would_ take away some of her innocence.

I returned to the bedroom with a new found resolve. Sarah lay huddled into herself on the far side of the bed with the sheets pulled tightly up to her neck. I felt her wide eyes stay trained on me as I turned to pull my shirt off and tossed it to the floor, my gloves quickly following suit. True, I could've simply willed my clothes away with magic, but this was one instance, one of many, in which I felt quite sure slow and drawn out would be far more advantageous.

"What…what are you doing?" Her meek little voice was equally fearful and flustered. I knew, should I look upon her, that her face would hold that delightful blush I'd become accustomed to.

"Ah, she speaks," I exclaimed as I kicked off my boots. "I'm preparing for bed, dearest." I hesitated for only a brief moment before sliding out of my breeches and turning to face my _innocent_ wife. Her startled gasp at my nudity was well expected, but I had never been the modest type. "Did you think I slept in my clothes? Silly Sarah."

Her face flashed from pale white to burning crimson in a single blink, but her eyes refused to look away, roaming with a virgin's curiosity over that which I had never been ashamed to display. I felt myself begin to harden under her tantalizing scrutiny and slowed my steps towards the bed, a knowing smile curving my lips. "Haven't you ever seen a male form before, precious?"

I pulled the sheets up and slipped in beside her; propping myself up on an elbow and settling my full gaze on her shocked face. She stiffened and finally turned her face away. "No," was her soft reply.

I reached over and pulled her chin towards me. "Look at me, Sarah. There is no shame in us seeing one another's bodies."

"You promised you'd go slowly," her voice trembled. I stroked her cheek with the briefest touch of my fingers, feeling my magic tingle across her skin.

"And so we shall. But I also said I want you to be comfortable with me. All of me, Sarah."

She finally lifted her eyes to my face, looking at me shyly for a long moment before letting them drift lower to my exposed chest.

The swell of desire washed over me as if her eyes tracing over my skin were the same as a touch. I lay perfectly, painfully still so as not to frighten her further despite every fiber of my being crying out to crush her to me, rip her gown from her body, and finally make her completely mine. Her hand moved towards my skin seemingly of its own accord before she yanked it back. Always so stubborn.

"It's alright, Sarah; you can touch me."

Her delicate fingers hesitated before tracing the cool metal of my goblin medallion. While the shy motion certainly served to feed my imagination, it was not nearly enough to satisfy either of our curiosities. I wrapped my bare hand around her fingers, moving them until they rested just over my heart. She gasped, her gaze flew to my hand around hers and then to my face. "Here, Sarah. Touch me here. Don't be afraid. I am, under it all, just a man." I used my loose grip to hold her wrist steady and dragged her fingers over my skin until I could feel her nails scrape lightly through the faint trail of hair below my navel. Her silken touch nearly drove me mad. I kept our hands steady there, daring her to move in one direction or the other, and watched the play of feelings shadow her face, concentrating on keeping my own expression light despite my delight at the mortification and even stronger lust blooming across her fair skin.

After a quiet moment, she gently pulled her hand free of mine and spread her fingers wide over my chest almost as if she were measuring my heart beat. I had no doubt she could feel it thrumming solidly beneath her fingers. Her face was so close to mine. All I could see was her beauty; her haunting green eyes were soft and a bit frightened, but seductively intrigued in the same look. Her fragrant perfume made my blood heat and I once again had to fight the desire to…_devour_ her. But it was so much more than lust. I wanted to crawl inside this woman until we shared the same skin. If only she knew how desperately connected we were, and how much deeper it could still become.

I gave in to the urge to trace my bare fingertips along the delicate skin stretching over her cheekbone, still somewhat in disbelief that she was finally here, in my bed, in my arms. Her breath hitched as remnants of my magic sparked against her flesh and her eyes fluttered closed. My hand trailed further across her face until fingers entwined in thick, silky strands of her dark hair. I leaned closer to her until naught separated us but the thin fabric of her nightgown and pressed my lips to hers, gently at first, but with gathering force as she allowed herself to partake.

Her hand moved from my chest to wrap around my shoulder hesitantly, and soon both sets of her fingers were as equally laced within my hair as mine were in hers. Her grip was nearly painful, making it all the more pleasurable, as she pressed her firm breasts even tighter against my chest. A groan unwittingly loosed itself from my throat. I forced her lips open with the pressure of my jaw until I could taste her, and her answering whimper only fueled my assault. My hands roamed down her back and then up over her shoulders as I pressed her flat to the mattress and slipped my knee between her thighs, effectively fusing our lower halves together.

"Do you feel how much I want you, precious? Can you feel what you do to me?" I growled between the kisses I was now spreading over her neck. I ground my arousal against her hip in emphasis. "You don't know how difficult it was for me not to touch you when you awoke this afternoon."

I bit back a groan as I recalled with perfect clarity the sight of Sarah touching herself and calling out my name with wanton abandon. True, I had manipulated her feelings with that dream, which in hindsight was probably the only reason I hadn't attacked her, but the scene was filled with promises of things to come, pun intended.

"Jareth…" Her voice was saturated with embarrassment, yet her fingers tightened their grip on my hair as I continued to spread kisses along the column of her throat, nipping gently where her neck curved to her shoulder.

I scarcely recognized the rough whisper loosening from my lips as I continued, "The sight of you then, of you now – your eyes dark and wild with desire, your skin flushed – steals me of all rational thought."

Slowly, I pushed aside the shoulder of her gown and traced her collarbone with my tongue. She gasped and gulped air as if she were drowning before suddenly pushing me away and bolting from the bed. "I can't do this!" She cried as she disappeared through the door to the bathing chamber.

I felt my fists tighten around the sheets as rage boiled in my blood. Her rejection fueled that darker part of me almost beyond taming. I had to leave, and now. If she were to come back while I was like this…

I used magic to don my clothing and transported from the room before I could even take another breath. I wasn't even sure where I had sent myself until I noticed Aetia startle awake in her bed.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

The concern shining in her eyes was a welcome harbor I could not refuse. I sat beside her wordlessly and nearly hummed in relief as her fingers worked through the strands of my hair. This quiet was so different than that shared between my betrothed and myself. The tension and hurt which had nearly taken over my countenance ebbed away as moments passed in this secret, tranquil interlude. This was the one place I could truly let down my guard and just…_be_.

Minutes, maybe hours passed before Aetia's soft voice broke my respite. "It's Sarah, isn't it?" She swung her legs around until we were shoulder to shoulder. "I thought things were beginning to mend between you. She knows who she is now, right?"

"It is much more complicated than that, as you well know." My weary sigh was completely inadequate to describe my frustration.

"Perhaps everything should just be explained to her," she offered cautiously.

I stood and paced the small space as I ranted like a petulant child. "Yes, because she will just calmly accept that not only is she married to me, but she also has to make a child with me within three months or forfeit our kingdom because I've fused part of my life-force to hers. I'm sure that will go over _oh so well_."

Aetia paused thoughtfully before adding, "I admit it is difficult for me to imagine any woman being unhappy at the prospect of family. But then, I do not pretend to understand mortal ways. Is there no chance she would be reasonable?"

"I don't see why she would be at this point. She barely tolerates my presence. Why should she jump at the chance to help me? If we do not do this, nothing really changes for her." I hated the defeated quality in my voice, but I truly felt quite hopeless. I dropped to a chair by the window and buried my face in my hands.

"Do not be so quick to dismiss her. I believe she feels more for you than she would admit."

The smallest glimmer of hope blossomed from her words, but I quickly squashed it. I had hoped upon hope that there would be something, anything, between Sarah and I on which I could build her trust and willingness. Now it seemed even lust was useless as she quite clearly desired to fight against it rather than explore it. It was all I could to control myself in her company when both our lusts raged through our connection, and yet she broke away as if it were nothing. As if _I_ were nothing.

Sensing my misery, Aetia dropped to her knees by my chair and placed a hand on my arm. My eyes shifted towards her warily. She so rarely let the façade of formality drop between us. Taking a deep breath, she began; "Jareth, brother, forgive me for I know it is not my place. But I love you, and I do not want to lose you. You have to try. I beg of you to do what you can. If you won't tell her, then convince her in some other way. You'll have all of eternity to make it up to her."

I snarled. "I will not force her!"

"She would forgive you. If you would just explain-"

"You don't know her as I do, sister mine." I laughed darkly. The chance of Sarah Williams forgiving me for thoroughly smashing her trust and taking her…_raping her_…were comparable to Hoggle being named the most handsome creature in creation.

Her cool fingers wrapped around my hand and a rush of comfort assailed me. "What will you tell…_her_…" Aetia's voice twisted with pain as it trailed off.

I sighed again as I pushed to my feet. "For the time being, I believe I can convince Sarah to continue playing her role. I have little choice. I am already bound to her, all I can do is hope that she will one day reciprocate. And if not, what's sixty or seventy years of misery in the yawning span of eternity?" My lips twisted cruelly, my voice like a dead thing.

My hand had just begun to reach for the handle of Aetia's door when it burst open. Behind me, I heard my sister cry in frightened alarm, but it barely registered in lieu of the disgust twisting in my own body.

"If it isn't the precious twins. What? Not happy to see me?" The haughty voice laughed merrily.

"Aralia," I acknowledged the impetuous redhead flatly. "You're early."

* * *

A/N: A HUGE shout-out to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and those who put me on alert, or their favorites. I am truly flattered and honored. Some of you said the nicest things and nearly brought tears to my eyes. I am so glad my intent to make you feel what the characters do is coming through. I am really quite self-conscious about my writing, and while I primarily write to amuse myself, it is beyond amazing to know other people enjoy my work too. So please, please, please, let me know if you are still reading and enjoying:)

Brownie points to anyone who can pick out the line in Jareth's inner musings that made me LAUGH while writing. I laughed because it is something my Jareth absolutely thinks is true about himself, while any of the rest of us - Sarah included - would immediately put him in his place. Honestly, my fingers didn't want to write it because my brain was like "LIE!", but this is Jareth speaking so... he he he.

I am moving next week, so I'm not sure when the next update will be (not to mention it is my birthday AND Eclipse! Woot-woot!). 'Til then, happy reading! Isn't Fanfic just amazing? I am so addicted to it!


	14. Transitions in Opposing Directions

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay, and I also feel I should apologize for this offering, as it is not the entire part of the story I intended to include here. However, I felt it was best for you, and best for me, to get some portion of it posted to keep us ALL motivated, (and it did seem to end naturally at this point. Hopefully you'll see what I mean. Think of this as the chapter name implies: a transition. Shout-outs to everyone who continues to read and review. You are all so precious to me:) To Alyce - if you are still reading, I did tell you I honored you with a character, though the character in the story does not at all reflect your personal character LOL Hope you don't mind too much ;D

Usual disclaimer still applies. Jareth is still sadly, not mine.

Chapter 13

Transitions in Opposing Directions

**Jareth's POV**

I paced over the cobbled stones of my throne room wrapped in my own aura of fury. For once I was too livid to even form words! Having not fully recovered from my disappointing altercation with my _wife_, the untimely arrival of the poisonous witch, Aralia, and her offspring had set my course spiraling into madness once more.

I scowled with utter disgust as one of my boot heels landed in a pile of waste left behind by one of the goblin's avian pets. If only the goblin in question were present. I wanted nothing more than to kick something, or rather _someone_. But I couldn't even threaten this person with the promise of perpetual stink. She was _protected_.

"I'm not going to go away just because you choose to ignore me."

My steps halted immediately and I turned to face the two women shadowing the doorway – one still in her nightgown, the other remarkably fresh for one who had traveled through the night.

"As if anyone could ignore you, Aralia," I seethed. My jaw was beginning to ache from the pressure of grinding my teeth together.

"You haven't changed at all, Jareth." Her overly pouty lips curved into an amused grin as she sauntered closer to my halted form. "You always were such a handsome devil. But that temper of yours…" She clicked her tongue before turning to glare at Aetia. "And you…I'm actually rather surprised to find you still here at all. Surely after such a public embarrassment you would have exiled yourself to a nice little retreat in the country?"

"Aetia is most welcome here. You would do well to remember that," I spoke slowly; my voice carefully, but barely restrained.

She laughed, an overly saccharine sound that set my teeth grinding again. "Yes, I can see why you'd welcome her. Every castle needs a good housekeeper, after all. Pity I didn't think of that before. Though, I think I may still be in the slightest bit of shock at finding her in the maid's quarters! Oh, how the mighty do fall!" Her sparkling eyes turned evilly on Aetia once more. "Well, what are you still standing there for? Shouldn't you be preparing my rooms? The journey was long and I am quite in need of rest and refreshment."

"You will not speak to her in that tone!" I warned.

"No…it's alright. She's right; I am neglecting our guests. I'll arrange for a light refreshment to be served in your suite for you and your daughter. Good evening." Aetia's voice was soft and calm, as always. She bowed her head once before turning and leaving the room. I doubted very much that I was the only one who noticed how pale she had become, or the faint trembling radiating from her frame.

Hesitating longer than what was considered polite, I finally lifted my gaze to the only other occupant in the room. Her smug smile was most unbecoming no matter how beautiful some thought her face to be.

"Might you explain why you felt it necessary to barge into my castle in the middle of the night?"

"Well I do so hate to be predictable. And besides, it's nearly dawn now. Come to that, just what were you doing with your sister at this time of night? Trouble in paradise so soon?" If a voice could bat eyelashes, this was certainly the sound.

"Enough of this nonsense, Aralia. You know very well the impropriety of arriving to a foreign court before the appointed time. It is a reflection of my respect for your place in our mother's affection that you are still standing in my castle."

"Right. And the scandal surrounding your sister, not to mention your fear of _my_ mother, your _step_-mother to be specific, has absolutely nothing to do with it." A pleased grin cracked her face as she turned her back on me – yet another blatant display of disrespect – and slowly inspected her surroundings. Her features settled on a mixture of horror and amusement as she no doubt observed the filth left behind from the goblins' party the night before.

_If only her boot heels would land in chicken sh-_

"Mother," a soft voice suddenly parted the tense silence.

We both whirled sharply towards the doorway where a younger version of Aralia stood with unshed tears in her eyes. I used every ounce of strength of will I possessed in that moment not to groan at the sight of the girl. It wasn't that I disliked her per say…more that her appearance was a promise that my current dalliance with frustration and unpleasantness was but the tip of the potential iceberg ahead, as my bride's people liked to say.

"Alyce, darling. Whatever is the matter?"

"You didn't tell me she would be here." Her voice, which was barely more than a whisper, resonated with the ghosts of the past.

I watched, stunned with my growing annoyance, as Aralia's eyes narrowed into slits of fury. "What did she do now?"

The simpering girl's gaze shifted to the floor but her lips remained silent. The gathering tears in her eyes leaked down her cheeks. I nearly strained my own eyes as they responded with an exaggerated roll towards the ceiling. Manifesting my riding crop, I flounced down into my throne and tapped uselessly against my boot as the mother hen glided to comfort her chick.

"Please, angel, won't you tell me?" For all her concerned imploring, the girl remained steadfastly silent.

I couldn't help myself. I summoned a crystal which produced the sound effect of crickets chirping, smirking with more than a little childish pleasure at Aralia's furious disposition.

She whirled on me faster than a striking viper. "That is not funny, Jareth! If that sister of yours so much as _looks_ at my Alyce wrong again -"

"It wasn't Aetia, _mother_…it was _her_!" The irritated attitude of youth positively trampled her previous show of timidity.

A veritable explosion of fiery glitter preceded the sudden arrival of a very irate hobgoblin. "Don't listen to a word she says! She freakin' shoved me out of my own bed!"

"I did not! How was I supposed to know you were in the guest chamber?"

"There are like a dozen extra bedrooms in this castle. You really expect me to believe you just coincidentally chose the only occupied one, and then didn't notice the lumpy form _lying rather obviously under the blankets_?" Raelle shrieked as she charged closer to the amusingly growing-redder-by-the-second girl still somewhat shadowing the doorway.

I groaned internally, closing my eyes and dropping my head back against the arm of the throne as countless memories of days gone by flooded my mind, all featuring the incessant bickering between the feuding _princesses_. While the Fae were naturally prejudiced against hobgoblins in general, Elvish Fae made their disdain a specialized sport. Those two years spent at court with our joined families had been some of the most trying days of my existence; ones that I had no desire to ever repeat in any fashion. I supposed Raelle's impending mission would need to commence sooner rather than later.

"Don't just sit there; do something!" Aralia's voice snapped by my ear.

I opened my eyes and turned towards the scene, half-expecting to see a genuine cat-fight in progress. The two glowering girls were standing nearly nose to nose at this point. And if it wasn't for the brass colored shimmer faintly trembling around Alyce's form – a clear indication that she was about to lose complete control over her magic – I would gladly have allowed the amusing little showdown to continue.

"Girls, really. Hold your tempers," I implored half-heartedly.

"But Sire -"

"Raelle, I am sure by now Aetia has seen to a suite of chambers to accommodate our guests. Perhaps you could graciously show Alyce to her room before returning to your own slumber. There is no need to wake the entire castle over simple sleeping arrangements."

"I'm not following her anywhere! Last time I did that, I ended up completely ensnared in that overgrown lichen only to be cut loose by that horrible little dwarf!"

"It's Hoggle, not horrible!" Corrected the sassy little hobgoblin.

"Same difference. You goblins are all the same!"

This time I didn't even try to withhold my groan. My head dropped into my palm as I counted the seconds awaiting the inevitable volcano that was Raelle's fury to erupt. _Three, two, o-_

"What exactly do you mean; _you_ goblins?"

The faintest ripple of magic pulled at my attention. Lifting my head, I observed the feuding pair standing as statues with a furious Aralia holding a time suspension enchantment over them. Her icy eyes met mine, matched by her cool, but threatening voice; "Put a stop to this, or I will, Jareth. You are far too soft with your _pet_. She is wild, even for a hobgoblin!"

"Yes, and your darling little cherub is the picture of innocence." I stood from my throne and turned my full-height on the annoying woman. With a snap of my fingers, both girls vanished, presumably to their appointed chambers, though at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if my irritation had misdirected them to a shared oubliette. Nor would I much care. "Now, perhaps you feel inclined to explain your early arrival, and why you insist on keeping me from my slumber when you can clearly see the rest of the kingdom is still at rest, hmm?"

After taking a long second to compose herself, the frost in her gaze thawed to reveal an all together different purpose. "I thought we could spend some time…catching up," she dropped her voice to what I am sure was supposed to be an invitation as she slithered closer to me.

Her intentions could not have been more obvious, though I did wonder about her mode of operation. She was no 'spring chicken' and certainly knew the art of subtlety. Was she really so desperate? I certainly had no plans to play into her delusion. "Has life really changed so much in the Elven kingdom since I was last there?"

She giggled in a way that would've even been inappropriate for someone her daughter's age. "Really, Jareth; you are side-stepping the issue."

I angled away before rolling my eyes, again. My fingers curled inwards in an attempt to prevent the formation of a vanishing crystal. Honestly, would this infernal night never end? I would gladly subject myself to a second round of cruelty from Sarah if it wouldn't be construed as an unforgiveable breach of hospitality to suddenly disappear. Though, perhaps I could still use my sulking bride as a means of escape. "I am sure I don't know what you mean. And as you kindly observed, I really should return to my betrothed before she awakes to find me missing."

I swallowed back my displeasure as her tongue darted across her lower lip in a calculated manner. "I hear tell that your lovely bride has not been so loving after all.

I stepped closer to her and filled my expression with all of my unspoken disdain. A sensible person would have retreated…would have recognized a power far greater than their own, no matter the leash that supposedly controlled it.

Aralia was not sensible.

"So you've come early to assess the rumor, is that it? Tell me, just what did you hope to accomplish at this most unholy hour, Aralia?"

She regarded me seriously for one slow blink before her lips curled into a playful smile. She closed the small distance between us and made to rest her palm on my chest. Her wrist was instantly shackled in my hand before she could make contact.

"Don't."

"Come now, Jareth…there's no reason you and I can't have a little fun. After all, _I'm_ not married anymore. And it isn't as if we're blood relatives."

"You're depravity knows no bounds. If I didn't want you before, what makes you think I would now?"

A brittle laugh escaped her throat as she molded herself closer to me once again. "You always did have a taste for forbidden fruit…_brother_."

"Yes, perhaps I did. So why would I be interested in one spoiled peach when the entire orchard in sweetest bloom awaits me in my bed?"

Her smile remained, though the coldness of her eyes rivaled the frozen peaks of earth's Everest as my meaning hit its mark. "I am truly curious to meet this human of yours – this mere girl who nearly beat you at your own game, who has finally captured your heart, and who holds your lusts prisoner when none other ever could. What a formidable creature she must be. It would be such a pity if she costs you your kingdom."

"Why, Lady Aralia, is that a threat I detect?"

She paused for several seconds, perhaps deciding whether or not to offer a retort, before forcing another mask of civility over her features. "Surely your Sarah will be awake soon. I take my leave to freshen up. I expect a proper introduction at first meal. Good day, Your Majesty."

I didn't bother to look up as she swept from the room, though her absence was immediately, and blessedly, felt. A string of muttered curses left my lips in tempo with the aching in my head. It wasn't technically possible for Fae to get headaches – an attribute of our unique, magic-based metabolism – yet surely this was as close as I could possibly get. Though, it paled in comparison to the disappointment in my heart. That was one area of my physiology that magic could not help.

My passionate anger at Sarah had subsided to a nervous sort of sorrow. Strangely, and perhaps unfortunately, her treatment towards me did little to assuage my feelings for her. I loved her. I truly did. Much the pity for me as she clearly cared so little for me that she couldn't even adhere to the terms of her own bargain!

I growled with frustration as I paced the room once more. I hated the turmoil coursing through me. I wanted to rage at Sarah. I wanted to compose sonnets for Sarah. I wanted to lock Sarah in my chamber until she begged to be my slave. I wanted to make wild passionate, frenzied love to Sarah. I wanted Sarah to give herself to me completely, just as I desperately wanted to tell her that I had already given my soul to her. I wanted to hurt Sarah just as she'd hurt me.

And I wanted to strangle Aralia and banish her excuse for an offspring from my land.

The pounding in my head worsened while I felt my heart close itself as tightly as a vault – the only safe course of action I could possibly make in my current state. Oh, I'd play my part as planned, at least as long as it took to rid the castle of our adversaries, but I would not allow myself to play the fool for her any longer.

**Sarah's POV**

I woke the next morning to find myself still curled into a tight little ball on the same velvet padded chair in Jareth's bathroom that I had fled to hours earlier. I was surprised, and maybe even a little bit hurt, that he hadn't come after me, but in light of my plans to evade becoming his full-fledged wife, it was probably for the best.

My mood was as achy as my joints. The events of the previous night spiraled back into my memory with the acute pain of a hangover. This was the second time in less than twenty-four hours that I'd awoken with a massive dose of unresolved lust raging through my system and that kind of thing left a girl a bit cranky. Though I realized the most recent bout was entirely my fault. My _husband_ had made it more than obvious that he was quite willing to take care of our situation.

I rubbed uselessly at my eyes, but still his image remained. Visions of Jareth in all his 'sensual glory' would be forever tattooed behind my eyelids. _"I can't believe you just quoted that meddling green goblin!"_ But how right she had been. I had been nervous enough just being in his room, knowing we were literally about to sleep in the same bed and completely resolved not to give in to any of his advances, without having to deal with his full-blown assault too.

Heat slowly saturated my body, settling between my thighs as I thought about Jareth. Every inch of him had been perfect. His skin was pale, but stretched over his lean muscles it seemed like the smoothest cream and I had no doubt would taste just as good. Touching him had been like sticking a knife in an electric socket, not to mention the delicious agony of his lips on my own skin. And then he started speaking…

I gulped. Loudly. This was one war I knew I was going to lose. How could I not? He had barely even touched me and I was ready to buy the whole damn farm. There was no possible way I was going to be able to keep up our charade by living with him in such close quarters and not succumb. Though, I was sure I'd royally pissed him off, pun intended, when I high-tailed it out of there just as things were _really_ becoming interesting. Would he consider this a breech in our contract? Did the Underground folk even believe in divorce, or separation, or whatever?

My hand clasped around the medallion hanging from my neck. It was a smaller, more feminine version of Jareth's, and I knew I should hate it and all it stood for, but strangely I didn't. Somehow, this was the tangible evidence I didn't even know I needed that proved I was here to stay, and he had claimed me.

Slowly, I peeled my limbs from the chair and stretched, my joints cracking in protest. I eyed his enormous marble tub longingly. Hearing no noise from the adjoining room, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a quick soak and maybe relieve some of the tension coiling in every muscle of my body. After all, he did say this was our chamber now. May as well make the best of it.

"_The best of it could've happened last night!" _

For once, I had no argument for my psyche.

I used that clever trick of ordering the tub to fill and even added liberal amounts of lilac scented bubbles before happily tossing the god-awful lace nightgown I'd manage to find amidst a ridiculous collection of lingerie to the floor and climbing in. Seriously, what the hell had Aetia been thinking? It seemed almost silly now that I'd ever suspected her of lusting after my husband.

There it was again; _my_ husband. Great. A little tonsil hockey and I'm completely willing to forget he's a sneaky mythical creature who essentially kidnapped me for reasons yet to be revealed.

"_That is not entirely true, Sarah. You _agreed_ to all of this, both when you were here before and just yesterday…"_

This time I did stick out my metaphorical tongue. Alone with your thoughts can sometimes be a very dangerous place to be. It was easy to throw up a wall of anger when Jareth was around since he never missed the chance to instigate a response from me. But I knew I gave as good as I got. And if I was brutally honest with myself, I knew I owed him an apology for running out last night. He had made it perfectly clear that I was ultimately in charge as far as our bedroom antics were concerned. Though he shocked me with his total lack of modesty when he stripped down to nothing, effectively proving there was no false-advertising going on down _there_, he hadn't actually broken his word. He didn't touch me or force me to do anything I wasn't comfortable with.

I sank below the surface of the water and exhaled swiftly, the bubbles of carbon dioxide breaking through the barrier of soapy bubble bath like snowy explosions. Now that the floodgate in my brain was flung wide open, I couldn't seem to stop the mushy romantic torrent of thoughts from parading across my conscience. All the little things he'd done in such a short time – sending me a friend, making sure I had some comforts from home, organizing that dinner even though it was obvious he could barely tolerate Hoggle, decorating his chamber to my tastes, agreeing to my pace, not to mention the way he sometimes looked at me, and the things he told me while holding me so close last night – seemed to point to the fact that he really was trying.

Light flickered beyond the skylight my head had made through the veil of bubbles. I rose quickly and sucked in a deep breath while pushing the wet strands of hair away from my eyes only to instantly cower. The sight before me was nearly enough to force me to duck and cover once more.

"Jareth! What are you doing in here?" I squeaked and gathered more bubbles to hide anything that might be showing, but quickly realized he wasn't even looking at me. Again, I should've been glad, but I couldn't help being confused. Since when did he pass up the opportunity to make a pass at me?

"I seem to recall mentioning once before that this is my castle, and I shall go wherever I like." His voice was cold, detached. He grabbed a towel from a shelf near the sink and handed it to me, his eyes never once lifting from the floor. "Now, finish your bath and dress quickly. I expect you for the morning meal within the hour. Our guest has arrived and despite recent events, you _will_ be on your best behavior."

"Can you tell me anything about her? I mean, how am I supposed to act?"

Finally, his eyes rose to meet mine. I shivered unconsciously at his icy expression. Not even as the Goblin King in full regalia had he looked so intimidating. "How are you supposed to act? Why don't you tell me? Isn't that what you do best?" His tone mocked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I whispered cautiously.

He smirked, as usual. But this was no playful expression intended to bait me. "Truly, Sarah. Have you forgotten how to pretend to want me? You were so _convincing_ at it last night."

Sarah. Not precious, or dearest, or any other variety of irritating endearments. I felt an uncomfortable shiver of dread and confusion ripple down my spine. "Why are you so angry?"

"Angry?" He snorted and turned away from me. "I'd have to care to be angry. Now hurry up."

He seemed to take all the warmth from the room with him as he vanished. My relaxing bath was suddenly as arctic in its comfort as his cold eyes had been. An uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest and even my usual defense of feigned indignation couldn't trample the twinge of guilt. I knew he'd be upset, but I figured he'd manipulate me or tease me, maybe even yell at me. This apathetic coldness was far worse.

And now I had to face some fancy fairy lady who was probably a thousand times more beautiful than me and convince her that I was head over heels in love with the Goblin King while he was apparently so disgusted with me that he had completely changed his personality, all while being more than a bit uncomfortable, not to mention unsure, about the mess of emotions running through me.

Fan-freaking-tastic.

I allowed myself another long, drawn out sigh before rising from the tub and making my way to the enormous closet in Jareth's chamber. The petulant part of me wanted to pull on my favorite pair of jeans and a t-shirt just to give His Majesty the metaphorical finger. The other, newer, less-tried part of me that felt inexplicably drawn to him and terribly uncomfortable with his displeasure wanted to dress to the nines in one of the gorgeous gowns filling the space.

A sudden vision of Aralia's inhumanly beautiful face as portrayed by Raelle floated through my thoughts, making the decision ridiculously easy.

_Yeah…definitely a gown, perhaps something with a plunging neckline and a slit up to my waist._

_

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**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who continues to read. Believe me, I am just as disappointed as you are that it takes me so long to update and I don't blame you if you've stopped. If on the off chance you ARE still reading...and enjoying...I'd love it if you shared your thoughts:) I know this is not a terribly exciting chapter, but it was necessary to allow some plot points to surface beyond the whole J/S seduction drama.

So my latest DB fascinations are:

"Strangers When We Meet" Seriously, how had I NOT heard this song before? His voice sounds incredible on it! Particularly when he sings "Forget my name, but I'm over you..." Just amazing.

_The Linguini Incident_. Ordered it off ebay and have probably watched it almost 10 times already. It is hilarious. I would love it even if he wasn't in it. (But thankfully, he is, and he looks gorgeous - was filmed in 1991 during his Sound and Vision period...)


	15. A Disproportionate Display of Maturity

A/N: Umm, yeah...it's been a while. My humble excuses include moving, going to grad school, losing a parent, and working on original fiction. I've actually had 2/3rds of this chapter done for over 2 years (and several renditions). This one was hard for me. As one reviewer commented last time, it seems like our lovely couple is moving apart - which in my writing plan was necessary in order for them to ultimately grow closer. I hope this transitional chapter puts them back on a workable path. Their road ahead will not be easy, so it is essential they have at least some sort of foundation (aside from mutual attraction) to build from. Anyhow, if you are still willing to read, I hope you will enjoy.

In review: Sarah finds herself whisked away to the Labryinth six years after her initial visit with Jareth claiming she originally accepted his offer with the stipulation that he give her more time in the human world. Not realizing that Sarah had chalked up her experience to a dream, thus forgetting her promise to him, Jareth goes ahead as they had mutually agreed and implants a part of his magical soul to Sarah upon her return to the Labyrinth, effectively binding them together. Now reunited, he says she is his betrothed and will become his full-fledged wife once the marriage is consummated. Unbeknownst to Sarah, Jareth bargained with the High King to allow Sarah, a mortal, to ascend to Fae status and become a monarch of the Underground provided she proves her worth to the race by supplying Jareth with an heir (this is the kind of story where Fae have a low fertility rate.) If Sarah does not become Fae, she cannot become queen, and Jareth will also be stripped of his Fae status since he shared part of his soul with her. And to make things even more complicated, they only have three months to prove her worth. So, we have Jareth desperately in love with Sarah, and Sarah attracted to, but wary of Jareth. Sarah does not know about the soul-binding, or the pregnancy clause, and is instead focused on trying to navigate her feelings amidst the natural duplicity of the Fae, thinking she is merely holding off their official 'marriage' by keeping her distance. Last chapter, we learned that Aralia, a court ambassador had arrived to assess their progress. By this chapter, the two have formed a bargain that Sarah will play the role of a besotted wife in public to fool the court, and in exchange, Jareth pledges not to push her too fast with the advancement of the consummation. However, Jareth's definition of taking things slowly is a bit more advanced than Sarah, who is already hanging by a thread in rebuffing his advances. Jareth's backup plan in case Sarah does not concede is to send Raelle - a delightful shape-shifting hobgoblin and also Sarah's best friend - to another nobleman to procure an elixir which will change Sarah to a Fae (not mentioned in this chapter, but useful background knowledge.) When we left off, Jareth was angry at Sarah for running scared, again, and Sarah was warring with herself to deny that her feelings for him might go beyond lust. For further detail, feel free to reread the first 13 chapters. I did ;)

Chapter 14

A Disproportionate Display of Maturity

**Sarah's POV**

I felt utterly ridiculous. Standing just outside the solarium entryway for nearly thirty minutes, clad in a dress that I imagined even a hooker would question, I was overcome with an overwhelming sense of self-doubt. I could hear a female voice tinkling - yes, _tinkling_ - merrily about some Elven duchess and her woebegone beau. Clearly I was quoting. Did people really still use the word 'woebegone'?

_Not people, Sarah; Fae...mythical creatures stuck in some perpetual Renaissance Festival reality._

And somehow I was selected to be their queen. I could practically imagine a smug, "I told you so" from Karen, who never missed an opportunity to tease me about my fairy tale obsessions, or lecture me about growing up.

_If only she could see me now..._

I peered around the corner of the doorframe for the hundredth time and really took in the sight before me. Jareth appeared to be sulking in a chair facing a battery of floor-to-ceiling windows which displayed a garden anointed by the soft golden hues of the morning sun. Beyond, the Labyrinth rose in the dewy mist like some lost magical city of old. The view was the very definition of breath-taking, and yet a distinct glower dominated his handsome face, undoubtedly growing even more aggravated by my tardiness. A feeling of discomfort rioted in me. For once, _he_ was angry at _me_, and try as I might to rustle up a defense I really couldn't blame him. But I sure as hell didn't like it.

And then there were his two companions. The elegant Fae ladies sat to the side of Jareth with practiced smiles plastered on their too-perfect faces. The one speaking I'd seen through Raelle's magic, though that carbon copy could scarcely do the woman justice. The other was a younger version, and just as painfully beautiful. Both had shiny copper hair which fell in thick waves to their waists and delicate cornflower blue eyes set in porcelain complexions. I was beginning to realize there was no such thing as an ugly Fae. Seriously, with all of this beauty at his fingertips, why the hell was Jareth so hell-bent on claiming me?

"What are you doing lurking in the doorway, Sar?" Raelle's sudden voice literally made my heart jump.

"Jeeze, Ray, give me a heart attack, why don't ya!"

She grinned. "Sorry." She grabbed my arm and led me away from my vantage point. "So why aren't you in there schmoozing with the big wigs?"

I sighed but didn't answer, because frankly, I was still trying to figure that out myself.

Raelle stood back and let her eyes roam over my...ensemble. "And what the hell are you wearing? Is that a nightgown?"

Was it? I plucked at the froth of fabric clinging to my skin. Huh; maybe it _was_ lingerie?

Her eyes – now a beautiful, but false human hazel – glinted with mirth. "Wait a minute..." Her fingers started ticking off her hidden thoughts as she paced back and forth. "Spent the night with the king, standing here alone, dressed like a slut – "

"Hey!" I protested feebly.

She simply glared and continued, "- about to meet Elven Barbie and her evil spawn and shakin' in your boots..."

Evil spawn? So the younger Fae was the daughter. I tucked that bit of info away and tried to keep up with the spastic hobgoblin.

She stopped and turned toward me. "Let me guess; you are still a virgin, _and_ in the doghouse with His Majesty. Just how long have you been standing out here, anyways? They're already at the end of breakfast!"

My cheeks flamed. "Not that it is any of your business whatsoever, but Jareth and I have come to an understanding about our...relationship, and if he's upset with me it's his own damn problem! I'm not the one who keeps pushing the limits of our bargain!"

Raelle grinned. "Good. Maybe it's time to remind him of that spirit!" Without a moment's hesitation, she shoved me sputtering through the doorway.

"May I present her esteemed majesty, the Lady Sarah from Above." Raelle swept her arm before me in some ridiculous courtly gesture before hopping out of my reach and fleeing down the hallway. _Smart goblin_.

I surveyed the room with all the dignity you can possibly muster in under two seconds. I felt like one of those geeks in a teen movie that trips in the cafeteria and ends up covered in chocolate pudding while standing next to the popular kids' table. Only, in this reality, _I_ was supposed to be the cool kid, not the painfully awkward outsider. So I met each of the three pairs of otherworldly eyes that were boring holes in my face and smiled brightly. Hell, chocolate pudding was delicious!

_Yum, Jareth covered in chocolate pudding...Oh my god, where does my brain keep getting these thoughts?_

Straightening my back and squaring my shoulders, I gave my best impression of a runway model as I approached Jareth. "Good morning, milord," I stated sweetly, leaning over to place a soft kiss on his cheek. A fine tremor ran between our skin, but I couldn't tell if it was my embarrassed nerves, or his lingering anger.

Nonetheless, he stood, took my hand, and pulled me into his embrace. "My darling Sarah; you have kept us waiting." His tone was light, but colder than I would've liked.

_Yeah...Still angry_.

"My apologies to you, and our guests," I turned to offer a smile to the awaiting ladies, "I suppose I was just so exhausted from...last night."

I dug deep into my acting arsenal to affect a demure picture of womanhood, and then let my free hand slide down Jareth's spine and rest just above his taut backside, giving it a quick squeeze and letting my eyes reflect some of the heat I'd felt for him this morning.

Without waiting for any reaction on his part, I approached the two visiting Fae and held out my hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Lady Aralia. You and your daughter are most welcome here."

Aralia's mouth twisted into a half-sneer, half-laugh, and her hand demonstrated the very definition of 'leaving me hanging.' Apparently, hand-shaking was not a common custom here. "How quaint," she stated as 'Skipper Elf' lowered in a faint curtsy.

"Aralia..." Jareth's voice was a quiet threat behind me.

I fought the trickle of unease marching over my entire body as Aralia circled me slowly...appraisingly. I managed to sing the entire first verse of "Eye of the Tiger" in my thoughts before she finally spoke.

"Clearly you'll need some advice on appropriate dress," she drawled as her eyes scanned my outfit. "Not to mention her complete lack of courtly manners..."

My anger began to blossom as she continued her perusal, speaking about me like cattle at an auction block...or a slave. But I wasn't a slave. I was going to be a queen, wasn't I?

_...it's the thrill of the fight..._

Her attention then snapped to Jareth. "Really, Jareth, I expected more. Has Aetia not versed her on such simple matters yet? Tsk. It really is impossible to find good help. Such a pity."

_...rising up to the challenge of our rivals..._

Despite all my training in acting, I never was able to tame my pride. I felt it bubble within me even as I forced my voice into pleasant tones. "And pray tell what place a housekeeper would have in advising her queen on what she should wear?" I found myself responding, secretly disturbed at the ease in which the haughty, Jareth-like words escaped my lips.

Aralia laughed. "You are so precious! But, you are not a queen yet. And, from what I understand, you are not even a true wife yet, are you darling girl?"

My cheeks blazed in mortification at her implication.

"See," she turned to Jareth once more, positively gleeful. "It wasn't so difficult to expose the truth of the situation after all."

My eyes briefly met Jareth's. Though he had seemed so genuinely disgusted with me less than an hour before, his current expression only reflected annoyance. Was he annoyed at me, or her?

He approached us slowly and leveled his gaze at Aralia. "My lady merely exhibits the epitome of a blushing bride. Perhaps a woman of your...caliber...has forgotten the delicate bloom of exploring one's innocence."

With a dismissive turn of his shoulder, he passed the now sour-faced princess and stalked toward me. "Forgive me precious for not escorting you this morning. You seemed so peaceful when I left you, I could not bring myself to interrupt your beauty sleep." He reached my side and gently stroked his fingers across my cheek before settling his lips just below my ear in a chaste kiss. "Do not disappoint me, Sarah," he privately whispered before standing to his full height.

Over his shoulder, I saw a flicker of strong emotion cross Aralia's face. Jealousy. Green and true. So that was her problem? Miss Fancy Pants Fairy wanted in the pants of MY fairy pain-in-the-ass? Her slip of envy was merely a drop of water compared to the possessive tidal wave which surged in _my_ chest. Angry or annoyed, passionate or pissed, it all boiled down to one thing: Jareth. Was. Mine. Mine to love, mine to loathe, just...mine. It clicked into place so suddenly I might've sworn it was a trick of magic, but I was done lying to myself. As if he could sense some imminent battle brewing between Aralia and me, I felt Jareth shift back, but I grabbed the front of his vest and held tight. My green eyes met his stormy ones and I willed him to understand that this was no longer a game to me.

"I dare say, milord, your lady would have more of you than a peck on the cheek," I spoke somewhat breathlessly. Swallowing thickly and gathering every shred of emotion I'd ever felt for Jareth – fear, lust, anger, and did I mention lust? – I grabbed the sides of his face and forced his mouth to find mine. With the smallest of moans, his tongue delved past my lips as his arms crushed me against his chest. His lips were no more magical than they'd been before, but this was finally the surrender we'd somehow both been waiting for. If feelings had colors than bright gold was bursting from my chest. My breath fled my body, but I couldn't be bothered to care as delicious flames replaced the oxygen in all of my cells. Regardless of how this kiss started, I never wanted it to end.

Seconds, minutes, perhaps hours later, a slow set of claps broke into my awareness.

"Bravo. Quite the display, though a kiss hardly proves anything. Even betrayal can be heralded by a kiss."*

I turned my face into the shelter of Jareth's shoulder and took a deep, steadying breath, though his scent did little to calm my racing pulse. My voice was somewhat muffled and likely a bit shaky when I finally responded, "I would guess you would know, Lady Aralia. But I assure you, as much as I enjoy His Majesty's lips upon my own, the feeling is a mere shadow of the pleasure he brings me when he applies them...other places."

As if to further my statement with a visual preview, I felt Jareth's now swollen lips tease along the column of my neck, sending another jolt through my system. My thoughts were suddenly very far from this stuffy little room and the snooty company it contained.

The smile never left her face, but I'd taken enough acting classes to see the truth of her feelings expressed in her eyes. We had not fully convinced her, but there was doubt brimming in her conscience. A silent stand-off soon ensued, but hell if Jareth or I would break first.

Finally, with the smallest of huffs, Aralia shifted her face into neutral lines and spoke; "Well, as lovely as this first meeting has been, I wish to visit with a few old acquaintances in Goblin City. Shall we reconvene for the evening meal? I trust you will inform the High King that we arrived safely?"

"You know as well as I do that every moment of your sojourn with us will be chronicled with the greatest care for the High Court, Aralia," Jareth replied, though his focus never left my face.

"Excellent. Come, Alyce; we take our leave."

_Alyce? Seriously? Did every Fae lady's name begin with A?_ The errant thought flitted away as quickly as it arrived as my attention was almost violently drawn back to my fiancé and his long fingers wrapped around my wrist.

The sound of heels clicking against stone faded in the distance. And then there were two.

**Jareth POV**

I scarcely noticed the abrupt exit of our unfortunate guests. The sudden surge of possession emanating from Sarah to myself still pounded through our soul connection. I had nearly lost my balance when it hit, quickly followed by her damnable attack on my lips. And then, the soul bond had quite literally ignited. She unwittingly claimed me in the same fashion I had her, effectively fortifying the connection I had so recently committed to rending.

My body wanted nothing more than to transport us directly to my chambers and complete our union, but my anger and mistrust were not so easily assuaged. I knew quite well what a fine little actress Sarah could be when she so chose and caution was still my valued ally.

I put some distance between our bodies with the façade of taking her hands. "Good morning to you, too, precious. I dare say, if all our interactions began this way, there would be no happier husband in all the worlds."

She turned away and opened her mouth to speak - some witty retort no doubt - before shaking her head and lifting her eyes to mine once more. I steeled myself to receive her caustic reply, or perhaps even some attempt at diverting my taunt with her own version of flirting. But the abject fear, nay, vulnerability shining in her jade orbs completely confounded me.

"Please don't," she whispered. Cautiously, as one would reach out toward a wild animal, she lifted her palm to cup my cheek. Such a simple connection, but it caused another outpouring of sincerity to flow through our bond. "Please be real with me." Angry Sarah I understood. Even defiant yet passionate Sarah was no stranger. But this new, serious woman before me was an enigma, and therefore all the more dangerous.

I took her hand from my face and returned her levity. "What is this you are playing at now, Sarah? Our audience has left, you can commence with your disdain of my presence."

"What if I didn't...disdain...you anymore?"

"That is not a good enough answer, precious. I seem to recall a similar conversation occurring between the two of us just yesterday, followed by a mutual agreement which did not last even a single evening."

She was quiet for a long time. "You scared me last night."

Her admission truly gave me pause. This formidable creature had never admitted to fear of any sort. So an arched brow was the only response I offered, as if words of any sort would spook her away from finishing her confession.

Twisting her fingers before her she continued, "I didn't meant to piss you off, but what were you thinking getting naked on night one of our bargain? What happened to S-L-O-W?"

A soft shuffling of feet alerted me to the nature of our location. "This is not a conversation for the public rooms," I whispered urgently as Aetia suddenly stepped into the solarium.

"Oh! Excuse me, Your Majesties; I've come for the breakfast dishes," Aetia exhaled as she dropped her eyes in the perfect display of respectful servitude.

"It is quite alright, Aetia. I believe the Lady Sarah wishes to change her attire before attending to her afternoon studies."

"Studies?" I heard the lady in question echo beside me.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Aetia's gentle attention turned to my would-be queen. "Shall I assist you, milady?"

"I believe the Lady Sarah will have all the _help_ she requires, thank-you," I interjected.

Sarah, for her part, looked only slightly mortified at my implication. Progress?

Without giving her a chance to respond, I took her elbow gently and transported us back to my chamber; no, _our_ chamber.

"You were saying?" I urged with undisguised impatience.

"Oh come on, Jareth; what did you expect me to think when you stripped down to the buff the first night of our little compromise?"

I decided to push my advantage. "Perhaps you should enlighten me as to the proper progression of our relations, precious."

"I don't think I should have to spell it out...I mean, you've been around a lot longer than me. You must know going from kissing to, to _naked time_," she whispered, "is skipping all sorts of steps."

I stepped closer and took her hand between my own. "Forgive me, precious, but all I have done thus far _is_ kiss you."

"Yeah, but having no clothes on is different!"

I willed my gloves to disappear as she continued to mumble about the apparent lack of propriety associated with my choice of sleepwear. Slowly, I circled the tip of my middle finger lightly across the flesh of her palm, watching as she began to react to my unrestrained magic. A noticeable tremor erupted throughout her body, hardening her womanly peaks into perfect little pebbles deliciously on view through her scandalous dress.

Her eyes met mine, green flames burning amidst the flush of her porcelain skin and scorching my own soul. By the gods, how could she not know the power she held over me? And how could I be so foolish as to suggest, even to myself, that I could ever deny our connection?

"Jareth," she began, but I would not let her continue in her denial. Not anymore.

"Do not try to blame this merely on lust, Sarah. You asked me to be real with you, so I shall. I desire you, this you know. But it is more than for the pursuit of physical pleasure. Our bodies react the way they do not just because of lust, precious thing, and I believe that deep down you know this to be true."

Her black-fringed lids closed slowly over those devastating green orbs as a shuddering breath escaped her.

In her moment of pause, I led her to one of the fireside chairs and rested myself across from her. When her eyes opened again, I began; "Now, let us speak of what occurred in the solarium."

A blush not born from desire spread across her face. "I don't know what you're talking about. I played my part, as you requested."

"Sarah," I drawled. "For one who was once so preoccupied on the stipulation of fairness, I must say I am disappointed that you continue to attempt to hold yourself exempt from its rules. If you demand honesty from me, should I not expect the same from you?"

"Honesty?" Her hands gripped the edges of her chair, knuckles white in the manifestation of her rising temper. "Right, and exactly when have you been entirely honest with me?"

The whole thing rang of "When have you been generous" a little too much for my liking.

"Admit it, Jareth; even at your best attempt to calm my suspicion you are holding back for your own selfish purposes. Even if I _do_ admit I feel something more than lust for you, how can I ever trust you? We make this ridiculous bargain that neither of us is prepared to keep, which in hindsight was _always_ entirely pointless because I _expected_ you to cross the line, like you always do, and it keeps ending up in this stalemate!"

By this point, her impassioned monologue had driven her from her chair to pace from the sitting arrangement to the bed and back again.

"Tell me, precious, what do you propose we do about this…stalemate?" I answered calmly, quite enjoying her turmoil.

She snorted. "What can be done about it? I will never fully trust you, and you will never be willing to give up all your secrets."

"Never is a long time." I rose to cross to her, taking her hand between my gloveless palms once more. "If I may, it appears we do have some facts before us that perhaps can serve as a foundation to build from."

She watched me warily, but did not interrupt. Small blessings were a precious gift indeed. With this modicum of encouragement, I continued.

"One, you do not trust me." I bent my head and brought her hand to my lips, bestowing the faintest of kisses on her knuckle. "Two, I have never lied to you. Omitted, perhaps, but not lied." My lips continued to the pulse point in her wrist. "Three, the underground is your home now." Her quick inhalation was my warning that she was about to argue, but I did not allow her to speak. "Fact, precious, no matter how much you may wish otherwise, it is fact. Refer to point two; I have never lied to you." I kissed the inside of her elbow before continuing. "Four, no matter your trust in me or how you try to justify it, we do have undeniable feelings for one another." My kiss moved to the hollow of her neck, and when she inhaled sharply this time, I felt confident it was not in objection.

I pulled ever so slightly away and took her face in my hands. I could feel my magic humming against her soft skin. Our eyes connected and I gathered every shred of courage I possessed. "Five," I whispered. "I love you, Sarah."

My pathetic heart pounded at my confession. Her breath stuttered. I wanted desperately to pull her into my arms and claim her lips with my own. But I did not. To follow such a proclamation with a carnal act would surely only cement her assertions that my love was merely lust in disguise. I wanted to confess more – tell her of our connection, of her full role in my life – but I had revealed as much as my protective Fae nature would allow for the time being.

Without breaking our visual contact, Sarah's hand raised to the collar of her gown, pushing the diaphanous material down to expose a creamy shoulder. My hand stopped her. "No, Sarah."

When she spoke, her voice held the breathy quality of one bespelled. "What? Why? I want you, you said it yourself that you know I do."

The warring parts of my conscience shouted through my head. I strengthened my will to ignore the two thirds of me that wanted to take what she was finally offering. The Fae and the king damned the man and his noble demands for taking this, as Sarah so charmingly put it, S-L-O-W. "Yes, but _why_ do you want me, precious?"

Her face twisted in a scowl as she forcefully righted her dress. "Oh, so _now_ you want to talk? I'm finally giving you what you want and you suddenly go all righteous on me? It's like you take pleasure out of driving me crazy!"

She was correct at that, but I had only moments before pledged my love to her without any true acknowledgement. I could not, _would not _take it back, but I was learning to be cautious as far as this siren was concerned. My careful facade lowered once more. "Perhaps you are not the only one lacking in trust, precious. Your display this morning, while certainly enjoyable on my part, was a bit contradictory to your previous intentions, no?"

I made little effort to hide my emerging smirk, exceedingly delighted to have brought the conversation back to the original point.

She sighed, whether in concession, or in preparation for another fight, I was unsure. "I thought you wanted me to act like we are the happy little couple."

"Ah, and there, as the delightful wordsmith would say, is the rub. You acted. Our agreement was predicated on the assurance that I would not touch you until you desired me to do so."

"And I just told you that I did!" She growled. "You are so…frustrating!"

My smirk grew. My, but it was fun to rile her. The Fae part of me was almost satisfied with the turn of events. Almost. Now to convince the king that the man's way of handling Sarah would ultimately lead to the best possible outcome. "But are you acting now? Or were you acting then? I told you, precious; I will do naught to ruin our chance at true happiness, not even to see to my own gratification."

She crossed her arms under her breasts, presenting her décolletage in an entirely unintentional, yet dangerously tempting offer. "So, where do we go from here? I am not considered your wife until…" her words trailed off, but she made her point with an agitated waving of her hand.

"Correct."

"And until I am your wife, that bi-…_woman_, Aralia, will try to break us up."

I nodded, inordinately pleased at her streak of jealousy.

"And you don't want to…go all the way until I'm sure about my feelings?"

"Aptly put, precious, though I might replace the 'don't want' to 'will not.' I want you very much, never doubt that."

She ignored my lingering statement, though the taint of color on her cheeks gave her away. "And how do you suggest I become sure of those feelings?"

By now, even the man in me was tired of her hedging. I turned toward the hearth, seeking a dose of self-medication. After a healthy shot of burning amber liquid, I returned to face my darling girl of contradictions and placed my palms firmly on her shoulders. "I will say this one more time, and I urge you to heed the truth of my statement. You continue to measure me against a mortal man, which, as I've mentioned, is an unfair basis of comparison. I am not mortal, I am Fae. I am doing all I can to see to your comfort – physically and emotionally. You accuse me of being purposely duplicitous, yet I have been more open and honest with you than any other in my exhaustive long life. I have shared with you what I deem to be necessary, and will continue to do so. Yet, I concede it is possible that you require more. You ask my advice on how to affirm your own feelings?" I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and let my fingers trail across the smooth expanse of her neck and collar bone. "I am quite confident that you will figure something out, precious. I am, after all, at your disposal."

"But – "she began, cut off when I prevented her words by placing my finger across her lips.

"No. The time for words has passed, precious. I believe I have made my intentions quite clear. If you choose to reciprocate my feelings, you know where to find me. Until then, I expect the conditions of our original arrangement to stand. And as I am feeling...generous...I will forgive you last night's transgression." I turned and moved toward the chamber door.

"Well, since it was _you_ who was toeing the line last night, not me, I'd say that I'm the one feeling generous by giving you another chance to prove your chivalrous side."

I felt the smirk settle on my lips again at her adorable display of bravado. "I give you my word that I will not touch you again unless you initiate contact...in private that is. Meanwhile, you will still spend your evenings slumbering beside me, and I still have the liberty of courting you openly in public. I dare say your display this morning convinced me you will have no trouble playing the besotted bride."

"I wasn't playing," she murmured to herself, once again forgetting I was not hindered by mortal senses and could clearly hear her across the room.

_Neither was I, precious. Neither was I._

Acting on an impish impulse, I stalked back toward her and wrapped my arms around her slim frame. She gasped, turning her lovely face to mine. "One last thing, if I am to take the blame for breaking a rule of physical contact, I want there to be no confusion in the matter." Clasping her roughly against me, my lips descended to claim hers in a hungry kiss. My tongue slipped into her mouth, moving ardently against her own until I felt her body submit, each muscle relaxing to conform itself to my chest. A feminine moan resonated from her throat, sending my pulse racing to my already aroused tumescence.

When contact was finally broken, I gazed openly on her close-lidded expression of pure want. Placing my lips tenderly against her forehead, I whispered, "Oh, and Sarah? I always sleep in my 'birthday suit', so as your kind so eloquently puts it, get over it." Before she could open her eyes, I summoned a crystal containing a clothing spell, tossed it at her stunned person, and vanished.

*Reference to Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss.

And there you have it. Next up...the hunted becomes the huntress, and Sarah devises a clever way to build her trust. I think (don't quote me lol) that their tendency to talk in circles is finally at an end. Things are changing for our protagonists :)


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